The global powerhouse invests in new technologies for washing gel production in Poland. Products made in the Racibórz plant will be exported to 10 European markets.

Washing gels already make up half the laundry products market in Western Europe. In Poland, their share amounts to approximately 15 percent, but is increasing rapidly. The 100-million-zloty Henkel project consisting of a new gel production line in the Racibórz plant is the company’s answer to the growing demand. The laundry products manufactured in Poland will be exported to the markets in Central and Eastern Europe. 

Washing gels are now the biggest product category on the global laundry product market. Their presence on the Polish market is steadily growing. The Henkel project is an answer to the growing customer demand, and will adjust the profile of the production plant to the changing market needs.

“Washing gels are the solution of the future. They represent nearly one third of the laundry product market in Central and Eastern Europe, and more than half the market in some Western European countries. In Poland washing liquids constitute about 15 percent of the market. But this is clearly a growing segment. Given the growing demand bringing this new technology to the Polish plant was a strategic decision made by our Company. It will ensure the stable growth of our plant in Racibórz and undoubtedly increase its status in the whole of Europe,” Adrian Wycisk, Director of the laundry products plant in Racibórz, told the Newseria Biznes agency.

A cutting-edge production line was purchased and installed as part of a project worth 100 m zlotys. In addition, the company built a production hall with all the necessary infrastructure.

“Modern technologies for laundry gel production were brought to the production plant in Racibórz. Previously, our facility had a technological capacity to manufacture washing powders only, which is why the launch of the new line constitutes a new chapter in the facility’s history and, at the same time, facilitates its further development,” Adrian Wycisk said.

The Racibórz plant is one of the six Henkel production plants in Poland. Previously, it had manufactured washing powders. Thanks to the launch of the new production line, the plant has started to manufacture washing gels for the Persil and E Henkel brands.

“The first packaging of washing gels left the new production line in March. Our new products, including those under the Persil brand, will be sold on ten European markets, including of course Poland, and also Austria, the Czech Republic and other countries,” Adrian Wycisk said.

The other markets are Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine.

The new washing gel production line was installed in a modern 15,000 sq m production hall, built according to sustainable construction standards and meeting LEED requirements. The new production technology is energy efficient and limits to the maximum extent the impact of production on the environment and plant’s surroundings.

“The launch of the new production line contributed, among other things, to increased employment. We have quickly created more than forty new jobs. These are new positions in the plant itself and in cooperating companies. As the production volume increases, we are planning to hire new employees and further develop the plant,” said the Director of the laundry products plant in Racibórz.

The investment in Racibórz is part of the company’s 2030 sustainable development strategy. It provides for continual reduction of the impact of the company’s production processes and products on the environment and tripling of the company’s efficiency by the end of the next decade. For the Racibórz plant, this means a constant search for new ways to optimise its environmental performance and further reduction in energy and water consumption and waste generation.