The £90m, 100,000sqm site is operated by chemicals giant AkzoNobel, and will become the new home for Dulux paint production globally. The plant represents the largest ever global investment by AkzoNobel’s Decorative Paints division.
The factory uses a variety of renewable energy sources, including photovoltaic cells and a biomass boiler, alongside an automated manufacturing process that has been designed to save water, waste and energy. The company estimates that the carbon footprint of each litre of paint produced will be reduced by 50% compared to current facilities.
All manufacturing processes in the plant are fully automated. Every activity, from ordering raw materials to shipping the final product, can be initiated without operator intervention.
Output from the plant will be 200 million litres per year – enough, AkzoNobel say, to “redecorate every living room, bathroom in the kitchen in the UK.”
AkzoNobel CEO Thierry Vanlancker called the new site a “significant investment” into the UK, adding that the country is a “vital strategic market” for the company. “We continue to invest in highly innovative and sustainable production facilities to maintain and grow our leadership position, ensuring best products for our customers in the UK and around the world,” he said.
“Ashington secures AkzoNobel’s future as a manufacturer of cutting-edge products, including plants that improve air quality, increase energy-efficiency and protect against bacteria,” added Ruud Joosten, COO of paints & coatings at AkzoNobel. “We have taken the best technology available globally, improved on it and put it all under one roof, ensuring that this new facility represents a significant step forward for the whole industry.”
