HUL’s Dapada factory joins World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network

FMCG major HUL on Wednesday said its plant based at Dapada in Dadra Nagar Haveli has become the first consumer goods factory in India to be recognised as an ‘Advanced 4th Industrial Revolution Lighthouse’.

The Global Lighthouse Network is a community of manufacturing sites recognised by the World Economic Forum (WEF) for applying advanced technologies, innovations, and sustainable practices to modernise business operations, resulting in reduced manufacturing cost, greater agility and speed.

The network includes sites that have implemented end-to-end digitisation across the value chain, pushing the boundaries of technological advancement.

“This is the first FMCG manufacturing site in India which has been accorded this status,” Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) said in a statement.

HUL manufactures home care products and produces three million units per day of brands like Surf Excel, Rin, Vim and Wheel at its Dapada factory, which was established in 2001.

“This site started its digital journey in 2018, and is known to be the first Unilever dedicated home care site globally to be recognised as an E2E lighthouse factory, paving the way for rapid digital transformation in South Asia,” it added.

Commenting over the development, HUL Managing Director and President of Unilever South Asia Sanjiv Mehta, said that the WEF recognition is a testament to our sustained focus on making the supply chain future fit as part of our ‘Reimagine HUL’ agenda. “I hope more will follow as Unilever increasingly digitises its supply chain function,” he added.