American multinational confectionery, food, and beverage company Mondelēz International has opened its newest global technical center in Thane, a city located in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Image: Mondelēz's facility in Thane, India is part of its $65m investment in its technical center network that will accelerate growth and innovation. Photo: courtesy of Mondelez International, Inc.
The India Technical Center has been set up with an investment of $15 million and will support new products and technologies for the company’s global brands in Chocolate and Beverages.
The Technical Center will also focus on improving consumer science, packaging and productivity. This is part of the company’s strategy to invest $65 million in developing a global network of state-of-the-art technical hubs strategically positioned around the world, supporting a growth-oriented innovation agenda.
Mondelēz International EVP & president AMEA (Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa) Maurizio Brusadelli said: “Our mission at Mondelēz International is simple – to offer consumers the right snack, for the right moment, made the right way. And our global Technical Center network is crucial to support this.
“Our AMEA region hosts three global technical centers – the other two being in China and Singapore – demonstrating that our dynamic markets are at the heart of the company’s growth strategy. Our investment in the Thane Technical Center further emphasizes the importance of India to our global business.”
Mondelēz International executive vice president of research, development and quality Rob Hargrove said: “With these Technical Centers, we’re focusing our investment in research, equipment and capabilities, driving innovation to accelerate our growth.
“Our RDQ hubs will improve speed, efficiency and effectiveness, while increased scale will enable us to address evolving consumer needs more quickly. We are delighted that one of our global technical centers is based in India, which has one of the best technical and scientific capabilities in the world.”
Spread across an area of 12,000 square meters, the Thane Technical Center will be equipped with multiple technical capabilities, such as a pilot plant, a packaging creative studio and a range of laboratories for technical research and development. The team of around 150 scientists, developers, engineers, analytical chemists and other specialists will closely collaborate on innovations across the globe. The site is also water neutral and a zero-discharge facility with a large part of the energy coming from solar panels.
The India hub joins nine other Mondelēz International Technical Centers that are already in operation around the world, including East Hanover, New Jersey, in the United States; Curitiba in Brazil; Bournville and Reading, both in the UK; Wroclaw in Poland; Singapore and Suzhou in China; Saclay in France; Munich in Germany.
Source: Company Press Release.