Unilever puts up new mfg plant for hair conditioner brand

Consumer products manufacturer Unilever Philippines Inc. has put up a new manufacturing plant in Paco, Manila solely for its Creamsilk hair conditioner products.

Unilever Phils. chairman and chief executive officer Howard Belton said the new plant is expected to increase the company’s total sales by 10 percent. The hair conditioners, which will be packaged in tubes, will be exported to other countries.

Belton said the company registered P26 billion in revenues last year and is expecting to post another double-digit growth in sales this year with the launch of new products.

About 65 percent of Unilever’s sales came from its personal home care products, while another 30 percent was due to its foods business.

Brands under Unilever include Knorr, Selecta ice cream, Sunsilk, Rexona deodorant, and Surf detergent, among others.

The company is planning to put up a research and development center for its condiments, dressing and sandwich spread products.

The multinational firm earlier said it might transfer its manufacturing hub for dressing and sandwich spread products to the Philippines, if its local subsidiary proves the "lowest cost manufacturer."

Unilever’s production of dressing and spreads is presently scattered across Southeast Asia.

The proposal was submitted in 2004 when Unilever implemented a regional sourcing strategy, under which the company places its plants in countries proven to be competitive in cost and product consumption.

Unilever’s food business, after almost 50 years of being known as California Manufacturing Co., will be known as Unilever Foods Philippines; its food service business will change its name to Unilever Foodsolutions from UBF Foodsolutions; and ice cream maker Selecta Wall’s will be known as Unilever RFM Ice Cream.

The move was in line with its restated global mission to continuously drive corporate performance, simplify the business and increase transparency, and consistent with its new corporate identity.