The Swiss parent company of Nestle South Africa has approved a R64-million upgrade of its Wilsonia plant in East London, it was reported on Tuesday.
Nestle SA MD Alfred Kaelin said the upgrade will enhance the facility’s production capability to export to 19 south-east African countries and the Middle East.
”I believe that the factory would not have survived here had the upgrade not been approved,” said factory manager Pierre Francois.
Francois, a Frenchman who was appointed to the position two years ago, has overseen the first phase of the upgrade, which is expected to be complete at the end of the year, or early in 2005.
Francois said the upgrade comprised mainly consolidation and clean-up of existing facilities.
”This is a very complex factory and we needed to reduce that complexity. There should be logic and streamlining to the flow of goods which would save time.” — Sapa