United Arab Emirates, Dubai, June 23, 2015 – Unilever, one of the world’s leading FMCG companies and owner of global brands such as Dove, Lifebuoy, Vaseline and Lipton, has initiated the ground-breaking work of its Personal Care manufacturing site located in Dubai Industrial City (DI), U.A.E.  Via this manufacturing facility Unilever aims to meet the growing local demand in the Personal Care segment, whilst achieving responsible and sustainable growth for its business in the region. 

This new facility carries a large investment by Unilever and its suppliers which will exceed AED 1 billion (EUR 200 million - EUR 250 million). It will also generate 350 to 400 job opportunities.

“The demand for personal care products in the regional market is tremendous and we are seeing rapid growth year on year. Our new facility is a key component to achieving our vision of doubling the size of our business while halving our environmental footprint and increasing our positive social impact,” said Sanjiv Kakkar, Executive Vice President, Unilever MENA, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. “This investment is also part of our ongoing commitment to the UAE and its long-term ambition of achieving sustainable economic development.”

This world-class facility will greatly contribute towards the further development of the Personal Care market in the Middle Eastern and North African countries (MENA). It will produce innovative products that will swiftly meet the various needs of the different markets across the region. The majority of the goods manufactured in the new facility will cater to the MENA countries.

In line with Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan, the new factory has been designed to ensure minimal environmental impact, including sending zero waste to landfill, similar to Unilever’s Lipton Jebel Ali factory, which was the first factory in the United Arab Emirates to achieve this.  

Kakkar added that Unilever’s decision to locate the Personal Care factory at Dubai Industrial City was influenced by the unique benefits that the industrial hub offers to clients such as an enabling business environment, duty free import of machinery, equipment and raw materials for production, speedy documentation processes for ensuring timely execution, as well as tariff-free access to the GCC and MENA markets. 

Commenting on the ground breaking, Abdulla Belhoul, CEO, Dubai Industrial City said: “The new Unilever facility is a unique example of how industrial growth can exist hand-in-hand with sustainability for the greater good of the community. As the UAE economy deepens its focus on diversification into non-oil sectors, the industrial sector is set to witness greater growth than ever before. Towards this priority, one of our key goals at Dubai Industrial City is to offer an advanced, state-of-the-art infrastructure and systems that conform to global standards and exceed the expectations of our international clients.”

This new site is placed to become a game changer in the manufacturing industry given the introduction of state-of-the-art technology and its ability to demonstrate high rates of responsiveness to better serve Unilever’s customers.

It will form a valuable addition to Unilever’s manufacturing landscape in the Middle East and North Africa region.