International coatings producer Hempel opened a new manufacturing facility today in Buk, Poland. The factory will provide at least 100 new jobs in the region – and help Hempel meet increasing demand for coatings across Europe.

Hempel CEO Pierre-Yves Jullien cut the ribbon today on a new factory in Niepruszewo, near Buk in the Poznan area of Poland. The event was attended by a number of guests including the Danish Ambassador to Poland Hans Michael Kofoed-Hansen, members of the Hempel Board and representatives from Hempel

According to Jacob Gulmann, Hempel’s Group Vice President for Europe, Buk was the ideal location for the factory. “Buk has a good infrastructure and its location means we can deliver coatings quickly to customers throughout Europe,” he comments. “We received excellent local support for the project, and we’re very pleased with the speed that it was completed. The factory means we’re in an even better position to provide our protective, marine, decorative and yacht customers in Europe with high quality coatings.”

Able to produce the full range of Hempel coatings, the factory has a total capacity of 40 million litres a year and can be expanded to supply 60 million litres a year if needed. The factory was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Innovative Economy Operational Programme. As part of the deal, Hempel will create at least 100 new jobs – and factory staff have already completed training courses in Denmark, Spain and Portugal that cover the latest production methods.

The factory complies fully with all EU legislation regarding health, safety and the environment. There are a number of systems in place to keep the working environment healthy for employees, including a ventilation system that ensures the building is supplied with fresh air and an automatic materials handling system that eliminates much of the strenuous manual work normally seen in the coatings industry.

The factory will also have minimal impact on the environment. It produces no industrial waste water, and releases very few air emissions thanks to a cleaning unit in the ventilation system. 

The EUR 25 million turnkey project was completed in just nine months. Jakon was the main contractor, with DHV-Polska as leading consultant, and the main equipment supplied by PROFARB.