Nestlé Purina Opens Modern Manufacturing Experience Center
Nestlé Purina opened a new pet food factory in Eden, North Carolina, that will serve as an educational center for modern manufacturing.
The new $450 million, 1.3-million-square-foot facility, will host the first-of-its-kind Manufacturing Experience Center, which will educate the next-generation workforce and showcase the company’s modern manufacturing operations to key stakeholders, according to a Nestlé Purina spokesperson.
The company plans to add another experience center inside a new dry pet food factory under construction in Williamsburg Township, Ohio.
The facility, the company’s 23rd manufacturing operation in the U.S., also includes digital-forward technologies, they said, including a vertical dryer that is 15% more energy efficient than traditional dryers, robotics and automated equipment in packaging and warehousing, and automation technologies in the ingredient workflows.
Nestlé Purina plans to invest $2 billion between 2020 and 2025 to grow its manufacturing footprint, with its 24th factory in Ohio set to be fully operational over the next 12 months.
"Our new factory in Eden is a huge step to continue meeting that growing demand and the latest example of the continued investment being made across our U.S. manufacturing network," said Nina Leigh Krueger, chief executive officer of Purina.
Nestlé Purina has set ambitious goals within its manufacturing network as part of its sustainability commitment. It aims to achieve 100% renewable energy and is actively working to conserve water by 2025. The Eden facility is a prime example of this commitment, as it will be a zero-waste disposal facility.
The company has larger sustainability goals, including reducing virgin plastics by a third by 2025, as seen in using recyclable packaging and paper wrappers for some of its products globally.
More Innovations
Beyond manufacturing, Purina has prioritized innovation in all business aspects, including developing the Nestle Purina's Petivity device. This device leverages sensors and artificial intelligence to help pet owners identify potential irreversible health issues with their pets.
The pet care leader has also leveraged 3D technology to allow partners to personalize product options and better interact with consumers through a VR headset solution.
