Two more of our factories – in Tianjin, China and Indaiatuba, Brazil – have been awarded Lighthouse status by the World Economic Forum. This recognises how they are integrating the latest technologies to increase productivity and efficiency, and take care of the environment.

Our nutrition factory in Tianjin, northern China, and our laundry detergent facility in Indaiatuba, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, have joined the World Economic Forum’s network of ‘Advanced Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Lighthouses’.

This is an acknowledgment of how we’re using cutting-edge technologies to boost productivity and efficiency, respond rapidly to shifts in customer and consumer demand, equip our workforce with digital skills and limit our impact on the environment.

Since 2018, the World Economic Forum has been recognising companies that incorporate 4IR technologies – such as artificial intelligence – into their manufacturing and supply chain operations, effectively creating a network of the world’s most advanced factories.

These sites adopt and deploy advanced technologies to maximise efficiency and competitiveness, and drive sustainable and responsible business growth. They stand as a benchmark and a replicable model for manufacturers of all sizes, across different geographies and industries.

Tianjin (where we make Knorr and Hellmann’s products) is the world's first lighthouse factory dedicated to the savoury foods industry and our third in China, alongside our Hefei personal care site and our TaiCang ice cream facility. Indaiatuba (where we make Omo, Surf and Brilhante products) is the first of our factories in Latin America to earn this recognition. With our personal care site in Dubai and our Dapada home care factory in India, we now have a lighthouse across each one of our business groups.

As Reginaldo Ecclissato, our Chief Business Operations Officer, says: “To be named a Lighthouse Factory is one of the world’s most influential awards in the field of advanced manufacturing. It’s not only a professional endorsement but also means that we have advantages over our competitors in terms of better products and service. It will continue to help our business grow with digital-driven rapid response and deliver long-term value.”