AKZONOBEL ANNOUNCES 20 MILLION EURO INVESTMENT IN FRANCE

The multinational AkzoNobel announced that it will invest close to 20 million euros to increase and improve production at two of its plants in France. Construction work is expected to begin in late 2023, with the new facilities at both sites operational in early 2025. The capital injection will result in the creation of 30 new direct jobs.

Specifically, this investment will be divided into two phases. In the first of these, the company will allocate a total of €15 million to the company’s aerospace coatings plant in Pamiers, which it took over following the acquisition of Mapaero in 2019. An investment that is really necessary as production capacity is being increased by 50%, while the funds will also be used to reduce environmental impact and improve safety processes and working conditions.

In addition, the remaining €5 million will be spent on improving production flexibility at the decorative paints site in Montataire, which is one of the company’s most important wall paint manufacturing sites in Europe.

For AkzoNobel CEO Thierry Vanlancker, these investments underline AkzoNobel’s growth ambitions and confirm the company’s commitment to supporting economic development in France. “The Pamiers project in particular demonstrates how we are contributing to a more sustainable aerospace industry by increasing the supply of high-performance products that are more environmentally friendly,” Vanlancker added.

Also, plans for Pamiers include the construction of two extensions, one for storage and the other for cleaning and waste treatment. The project will also enable the company to relocate production of polyurethane exterior paints for aircraft widely used in Europe from its Waukegan plant in the United States.

AkzoNobel employs nearly 1,500 people in France and operates four production facilities, in Montataire (decorative paints), Dourdan (powder coatings), Limoges (adhesive brands) and Pamiers (aerospace coatings).