Hygiene products manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser (RB) South Africa opened its upgraded Dettol antiseptic liquid (ASL) plant in Elandsfontein, Ekurhuleni, earlier this month, and launched a new line of Dettol bar soap.
Gauteng Department of Economic, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Lebogang Maile cut the ribbon at the new facility, together with RB Africa regional senior VP Alan Thompson.
According to RB, the investment in a new plant and new line of soap products highlights its commitment to the local market and to delivering on a global vision that people live healthier and better lives.
The plant upgrade also demonstrated RB’s commitment to continuous improvement, building capabilities and local investment, Thompson pointed out.
“RB has a long history in South Africa. As part of that history, Dettol antiseptic liquid became a trusted household name in germ protection. The RB Elandsfontein head office and location of the ASL plant is a centre of excellence for the African region and the wider RB business, underpinning the value that the South African business brings to the global whole,” he explained.
Dettol ASL is registered in South Africa as a medicine and, therefore, the upgraded plant complies with good manufacturing practice requirements; the research and development (R&D) facilities are the largest in Africa and among the biggest in RB’s developing markets region.
The R&D expertise supports the facility upgrade in technology transfer and brand maintenance and, as such, RB places significant focus on skills development, including a successful R&D graduate programme that has been running since 2008.
Through wide technology and process exposure on site, as well as strong partnerships with top local universities, RB recruits and trains talented people, who, in turn, support the pipeline throughout the company locally and internationally. The R&D team is also actively involved in education initiatives aimed at universities and industry. RB uses this as a platform to spot potential talent for the business and raise its profile.
Meanwhile, the new plant has increased the number of jobs by about 20%, while upgraded technologies have improved the facilities’ environmental impact, which is monitored and measured over time.
“Socially, environmentally and financially, we do everything we can to act responsibly and sustainably,” concluded Thompson.