New State-of-the-art Technology Removes Noiro's Production Bottlenecks. New Cosmetics Plant in Espoo Adapts Readily to Change

The new cosmetics plant of the Orion Corporation Noiro division was officially inaugurated on 9 September 2002 in Kauklahti, Espoo by the Speaker of Finnish parliament, Mrs. Riitta Uosukainen. The new building houses a significant part of Noiro's cosmetics and personal hygiene production, the respective quality assurance and product development operations as well as marketing and export functions. The plant's principal product is the cosmetics line Lumene.

 

The new plant doubles Noiro's existing production facilities. Thanks to the higher rate of automation and the state-of-the-art production lines, Noiro can increase its capacity considerably. The growing Lumene cosmetics exports and the larger domestic market share objective make it necessary to have additional production capacity potential in the future. Equipped with a camera and scanner-operated object identification system, the plant's compact powder packing line utilises the most recent robot technology.

 

The plant has been designed on the basis of a client-oriented process ideology. The production cells operate flexibly close to each other and can react rapidly to changing conditions. Modern logistics solutions improve production control and manageability. In the cell-based production system, the product manufacturing process takes place in limited areas, and one single team is responsible for the entire production of a product, from a to z.

 

The design of the production facilities includes hygiene solutions that are familiar from pharmaceutical and foodstuff industries. The layout of the premises, the choice of surface materials and the superlative air conditioning solutions are among factors that have contributed to an increased level of hygiene, already well ahead of eventual future requirements by the competent authorities.

 

The total cost of the new plant amounted to 21 million euro.  A cosmetics investment of this magnitude is something quite rare in the Nordic countries.

 

- All of us at Noiro are very happy to finally have - after 50 years of operating history - such premises as have been designed from cornerstone to chimney with our particular core operation in mind, President of Noiro Pekka Rautala comments the new building. - This operative framework will enhance our capacity to cope on the international cosmetics markets that are characterised by an extremely tough competition. At the same time it will provide Noiro with excellent tools to face and meet the expectations of the continuously developing and increasingly demanding market.

 

One part of the building has two stories while the rest occupies four floors. The total floor surface is 12,210 m2, with a good 10,000 m2 occupied by production and warehouse operations and 2,000 m2 by office premises. The interior decoration is in line with the Noiro colours, with shades of blue and grey dominating the scene. The architect and main designer was RE-Suunnittelu Oy while the principal constructor was YIT-Rakennus Oy.

 

For further contacts:

 

President Pekka Rautala, tel. +358 204 877 270

 

Noiro

 

The Orion Group company Noiro develops, manufactures and markets cosmetics, products for personal and home care, hairdressing products and productions for institutional cleaning and hygiene. The operations are based on its own strong brands, such as Lumene®, Herbina®, Cutrin®, Favora®, Erisan® and Farmos®. Proprietary brands account for almost 80 % of Noiro's net sales. The well-known Nanoel® line is also part of Noiro's product range, complemented by internationally acclaimed brands, such as Wella®, Juvena® and PizBuin® represented by Noiro. Exports account for over one third of net sales. The Nordic countries, Poland and Russia are the major export markets. The Lumene cosmetics line accounts for over a third of Noiro's net sales and almost two thirds of its exports. With its 25% domestic market share, Lumene has long been the supreme leader of the Finnish cosmetics line market.

 

Inspired by the pureness of the Finnish nature, Noiro develops its innovative brands and uses the pure and natural Finnish raw materials to meet the highest international demands. The product ideology is a combination of cleanliness, health and beauty. Wellbeing is the common denominator characterising the extensive product range. The unique Nordic characteristics of the Noiro products are reflected both in their composition, package design, advertising and support materials.

 

Noiro in 2001:

 

Net sales 125.3 Me
Exports  43.9 Me
Exports in % of net sales      35 %
Operating profit    9.2 Me
Personnel   844

 

The following pictures can be downloaded:

 

1) The modern new Noiro cosmetics plant situated in Kauklahti, Espoo, was completed in the summer of 2002.

 

2) The rate of production automation at Noiro's new cosmetic plant in Espoo is very high.The photo shows a robot-automated compact powder packing line, with packing operator Sonja Nyholm working on a patch of Lumene Duo eye shades.

 

3) The new Noiro production plant has five separate manufacturing units for cream and emulsion production. The cream process equipment includes built-in washing systems, homogenisation systems and production phase recording systems. Some of the cream raw materials are fed through tubes while small quantities of ingredients are added manually. Production operator Kim Karppinen is here dosing raw materials for a production patch of Herbina Body Therapy foot lotion.