Context

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has joined the Lighthouse Network with its Dapada facility, which produces home care products such as Surf Excel, Rin, and Vim.

• The first FMCG production facility in India to receive this designation.

About

What is Global Lighthouse Network?

• The Global Lighthouse Network is a community of manufacturing sites recognised by the World Economic Forum (WEF) for applying advanced technologies, innovations, and sustainable practices to modernise business operations.
• The Network includes sites that have implemented end-to-end digitisation across the value chain, pushing the boundaries of technological advancement.
• These revolutionary technologies result in reduced manufacturing cost, greater agility, and speed.

Interesting Fact Tata steel Kalinganagar TSK is the first Indian manufacturing plant to be included in the WEF’s Lighthouse Network. They serve as beacons to guide others to overcome challenges in upgrading systems and applying cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics and 3D printing.

Hindustan Unilever (HUL)

• Hindustan Unilever (HUL) is India's largest fast moving consumer goods company, with leadership in Home & Personal Care Products and Foods & Beverages.

Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), also known as consumer packaged goods (CPG), are products that are sold quickly and at a relatively low cost. Examples include non-durable household goods such as packaged food, beverages, toiletries, candies, cosmetics, over the counter drugs, dry goods, and other consumables. The retail market for FMCG products are determined by International standards of Industrial classification.

• It is a subsidiary of Unilever, a British company.
• Founded: 17 October 1933.

Dapada Facility

• Established in 2001, the Dapada site produces three million units per day for brands like Surf excel, Vim, Rin and Wheel.
• This site started its digital journey in 2018.
• It is known to be the first Unilever dedicated Home Care site globally to be recognised as an E2E lighthouse factory, paving the way for rapid digital transformation in South Asia.
• Using Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies like augmented reality, big data and analytics, and IoT, the Dapada factory deployed artificial intelligence/machine learning-led solutions to accelerate the pace of innovation and speed of response to consumer demand.

Benefits due to technological advancement:

• The Dapada facilityhas seen a demonstrable benefit as a result of this digital transformation, with a 39% reduction in manufacturing cost (per tonne) and a 50% reduction in end-to-end product development lead time. 
• The greenhouse gas emissionshave decreased by 54% and water use has decreased by 31%. Making our personnel future-ready was a critical component of the digitization process.
• 48% of the workerswill be Upskilled and reskilled.