Swiss-based Nestle, the leading nutrition, health and wellness firm, inaugurated its Dh500 million ($136 million) manufacturing facility in Dubai TechnoPark, marking a significant milestone in its decades-long history in the region.

Nestle Middle East’s new manufacturing facility was officially inaugurated by Sheikh Saeed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

“Nestlé has been present in the Middle East for 75 years, bringing meaningful value to society at large by sourcing locally, creating new local employment, offering nutritious products and helping in the further development of the region,” S A Paul Bulcke, chief executive officer, Nestle.

“By opening our new facility in Dubai - our regional headquarters - we will be closer to our consumers in the region and can better adapt our products to their needs and preferences. The Middle East region is a very important part of the Nestlé business and our continued commitment and ongoing investments demonstrate our confidence in the region.”

Chief executive officer, Economic Zones World Salma Ali Saif Saeed Bin Hareb said: “Congratulations to Nestlé on the opening of their manufacturing facility in TechnoPark. This is truly a proud moment when some of their products that we know and love become ‘Made in the UAE’, and a major step forward in boosting the nation’s manufacturing sector.'

Spread over an area of 1.02 million sq ft, the new 515,000 sq ft facility specializes in the manufacturing, canning and packaging of different Nestlé brands including Nido powder milk and Kit Kat chocolate and Nestlé Pure Life bottled water.

With the Middle East identified as a region with tremendous growth potential for Nestlé, the company has made sufficient provision to expand the operations to meet growing market demands for the next few years. Currently, the facility employs 555 people.

“I am extremely proud that the first new Nestlé confectionery factory built in over a decade is here in Dubai. This factory will become the third largest Kit Kat plant worldwide and possesses state-of-the-art technology to make a world class product every hour of every day,” said Yves Manghardt, chairman and CEO of Nestlé Middle East.

“With such a facility we will be able to meet the fast rising regional demand and eventually contemplate exporting to other regions. This investment shows the clear commitment of the Nestlé Group to the expansion of our activities here in the region,” he added.

The new facility also houses Nestlé’s regional microbiological laboratory, which began operations in early 2009. The state-of-the-art laboratory - which specializes in the analysis of salmonella, serving all Nestlé factories in the Middle East - is being used as a training facility for various government bodies in the UAE. – TradeArabia News Service