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African Consumer Care Commissions N430m Manufacturing Facility

Leadership
25 Nov. 2007

A new manufacturing company worth N430 million was last week commissioned in Lagos by African Consumer Care Ltd (AfCC) for the production of Toothpaste, Mosquito repellant cream and medimax soap among others.

A subsidiary of Dabur International Ltd, officials of the company said during the commissioning that the production line at the new facility would be expanded to introduce newer toothpaste variants and manufacture a range of skin care, home care and household disinfectant products.

"Nigeria is today one of the fastest growing overseas markets for Dabur. We have already seen our business in Nigeria triple during the July-September quarter of 2007, and with this new facility in place, AfCC is confident of further boosting its presence in the Nigeria and neighbouring markets. Bulding a manufacturing facility in Nigeria was an important strategic decision for Dabur and African Consumer Care Ltd. Nigeria is one of the world's most rapidly growing markets for FMCG products, and a manufacturing presence here gives us a competitive edge that we intend to utilize in full," Mr. Sunil Duggai, chief executive officer, Dabur International Ltd., said,.

Spread over 2.5 acres of land, the construction of the manufacturing plant had commenced in August 2007. The plant made up of state-of-the-art production facility is expected to give a quantum leap to the capacity of AfCC to meet the demand of its customers and consumers who are on a daily increase. With its stringent quality control mechanism and highly hygienic production environment in place, consumers can be sure of products that are coming out of a factory that adheres to world class Good Manufacturing Practice.

Currently, the plant employs between 60 to 70 people, and the intent is to increase the number of staff gradually up to 200 employees by 2010. There is also the opportunity of providing indirect employment opportunities for thousand of people in the country. "The construction project had progressed according to the planned schedule and budget," said Mr. S. Krishnan, country head, AfCC.

Dabur had frayed into Nigeria in 2004 with the setting up of African Consumer Care Ltd, a joint venture between Dabur International Ltd, which holds 90 per cent stake in the venture, and Dabur UK. The company successfully launched its oral care brand Dabur Herbal Toothpaste in the market in December 2004, followed by Dabur Herbal Gel in April 2007. The product portfolio was later expanded to include the New Advanced Odomos Mosquito Repellant Cream and Medicated Soap in 2007. Plan is also afoot to enter into the skin care and the home care categories. AfCC is committed to providing good quality products for the Nigerian consumers at "value for money" prices.

AfCC has seen a consistent and steady rise in its turnover. Dabur herbal toothpaste is one of the fastest growing brands in AfCC's portfolio, having already captured a near 10 percent share of the market in Lagos alone.

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