Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday inaugurated the Rs 700-crore spray dried detergent powder manufacturing unit and distribution centre of Hindustan Unilever India (HUL) at Sumerpur in Hamirpur district.
The state-of-the-art spray dried detergent factory will manufacture the brand’s leading products, including ‘Surf Excel’ and will also act as a distribution centre.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said this is an important moment for the state and he was glad that a global company like Unilever has chosen Uttar Pradesh to set up its ultra-modern factory.
“Investments not only strengthen the economy, but also becomes an easy medium for employment generation and community development. In a backward area like Sumerpur, this plant will directly and indirectly become a medium of employment for lakhs of people,” he said, adding that the company can play a big role in the income augmentation of the farmers of Bundelkhand.
Sanjiv Mehta, CEO and MD of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), who was virtually connected at the event, said it was heartening to see the plant take shape in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh, a state where the company has a significant presence.
Giving information about the newly launched distribution centre, Mehta said that the company has set up an automated distribution centre here, which is the first of its kind in South Asia for Unilever.
“The newly launched unit has created an enhanced ecosystem of suppliers, logistics operators and manufacturing partners at the distribution centre and Unilever is also working to develop the local logistics market and increase the number of its suppliers and subsidiaries in the state through supplier integration initiatives. This has a direct impact on the regional economic development,” he said.
Stating that the company will invest over Rs 700 crore in Sumerpur by 2025, Mehta said the manufacturing unit has been designed with zero carbon footprint. “Through the use of biomass briquettes as fuel, we will be able to increase the income of at least 10 thousand farmers,” he said.