Dourges (France), 1 December 2016 – Ontex Group officially opened its new production site in the town of Dourges in France today. The new site will allow Ontex to optimise production processes, service its French and international customers better and improve the working conditions of its staff. The project involves an investment of EUR 45 million.
The brand new factory is equipped with the latest production technologies as well as the existing equipment used in the Arras and Wasquehal factories. The 330 workers employed at both existing factories will also move to Dourges. The new 7.2 ha factory site is located between the towns of Dourges and Noyelles-Godault in the Hauts de France region. The total area of the new buildings amounts to 29,467 m2, 26,000 m2 of which is reserved for production facilities and warehouses. In all the site has nine production lines with the most advanced machines and techniques. Ontex Dourges will produce a complete range of incontinence products.
The choice of Dourges was not a coincidence, says Xavier Lambrecht, General Manager of the Healthcare Division at Ontex: “Our aim was to minimise the impact for the production staff. The new production site is centrally located between the existing facilities of Lille and Arras and therefore easily accessible. Logistically, the site also has many advantages. The new site is located at the intersection of several motorways (A26 to Calais – Reims, A1 to Paris, A27 to Belgium, etc.) and Lille airport is also nearby.”
Xavier Lambrecht explains the strategy of centralising the French production units: “To remain competitive it is important to continue investing in productive capacity, to make sure it meets the strictest possible criteria and regulations and, most importantly, is up-to-date with new production techniques. The latest production installations have greater output than ever before, but they are also bigger and more cumbersome. The new production site in Dourges was specifically designed for this and offers us the space to develop our productive capacity and employment in France even further.”
Sustainable development is key to the new production site. For instance, we invested in the latest techniques to limit noise pollution for staff and people living in the neighbourhood, and to minimise the emission of fine particles. The building was also designed to utilise natural light as much as possible and is equipped with intelligent LED lighting and the latest techniques in the field of thermal insulation.
Arras’ productive capacity has already moved to Dourges. By mid-2017 this should also be the case for the production in Wasquehal.
About Ontex
ONTEX Group is a leading global producer of disposable personal hygiene products, ranging from baby diapers to feminine hygiene and adult incontinence products. Our products are distributed in more than 140 countries through leading retailer brands, as well as under our own brands. The group employs more than 8,300 people worldwide and is present in 25 countries. Ontex is listed on Euronext Brussels and in the Bel20.
Contact