China News Service, Shanghai, February 19th (Reporter Zuo Yukun) The products are sold in 190 countries and regions, and 3.4 billion people use the brand products every day. In 2022, it will create a revenue of 60.1 billion euros. It owns Dove, Well-known brands such as Lifebuoy, Knorr, Magnum, Omo... This is Unilever, one of the world's leading daily-use fast-moving consumer goods companies.
This UK-based company has a close relationship with the Chinese market.
2022 is the 100th year of Unilever's investment in China. China has also become one of the three most important growth markets in the world, with a cumulative investment of over US$3 billion in China.
Recently, under the guidance of the Internet Communication Bureau of the Central Cyberspace Administration of China, the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee Cyberspace Affairs Commission and China News Network hosted the "New Era, New Opportunities - Multinational Enterprises in China" online theme promotion media group to Unilever.
Unilever Shanghai R&D Center.
Photo courtesy
"Hand in hand" for a hundred years, "never absent from China's development"
A hundred years ago, the founders of Unilever, the Lever Brothers, came to China and established the largest soap factory in the Far East in Shanghai at that time.
A small piece of soap has become a stepping stone to open the door to the Chinese market.
"When the founder came to Shanghai for the first time, he took a boat for more than three months." According to Zeng Xiwen, vice president of Unilever Greater China, at that time Unilever invested in China Soap Co., Ltd., which produced "Lux" "Soap and other products became best-selling products in the Chinese market at that time, and they are still well-known today.
"We have deep feelings for Shanghai. We have always been in Shanghai and have never been absent from China's development." Zeng Xiwen said that Shanghai's business environment is very good, it is close to international rules, and it is also very in line with the needs of multinational companies.
At the same time, he emphasized that both the R&D center and the management headquarters need talents, and Shanghai has always been a high place for talent inflow.
In Zeng Xiwen's view, China has the advantages of domestic and international dual cycles, and has a huge domestic market to support product sales. It is very safe for Unilever to build factories in China.
Based on this, in 2009, Unilever's sixth largest R&D center in the world settled in Shanghai, with a construction area of about 30,000 square meters and an investment of over US$100 million.
The R&D center in Shanghai brings together nearly 400 R&D personnel from 12 countries around the world.
In 2020, the R&D center won the excellent performance evaluation of Shanghai Academician (Expert) Workstation.
Unilever Food Factory.
Photo courtesy
Green intelligence, innovation drives "the next century"
"The global R&D center established in Shanghai serves the whole world." Shen Jun, vice president of Unilever's R&D center, revealed that the R&D center undertakes three functions: basic research, applied research and product research. R & D, China's production" products are on the market.
Relying on sufficient R&D manpower reserves, as well as the world's cutting-edge R&D facilities and experimental equipment, Unilever Shanghai R&D Center has not only innovated and developed many local products that are popular with Chinese consumers, but its innovative research results have also been favored by foreign markets and brands. Adoption, external influence continues to expand.
Focusing on innovation, after 10 years of dedicated research, Unilever's R&D team in Shanghai has successfully developed an industry breakthrough Regenerate toothpaste "black technology" - a bioremineralization technology that can repair tooth enamel. patents.
Focusing on green, in 2020, Unilever China launched the world's first washing product on the market that uses a surfactant made from recycled carbon obtained through carbon capture technology-Omo "air" laundry beads.
This breaks the century-old industry routine in the laundry industry and helps low-carbon development.
Focusing on intelligence, Unilever has deployed 8 major production bases and logistics centers across the country. In China, it has gradually improved its supply chain system and network. Through digital and intelligent manufacturing upgrades, it has continuously improved the flexibility and efficiency of the supply chain, creating The benchmark in the industry.
Recently, Unilever Tianjin Food Factory was awarded the title of "Lighthouse Factory". Through advanced digital technology, customized services and food safety assurance empowered by artificial intelligence, it provides consumers with higher quality products and also provides condiments The high-quality development of the industry has played an exemplary and leading role.
This is Unilever's third "Lighthouse Factory" in China after Hefei Industrial Park and Taicang Production Base, and it is also the world's first "Lighthouse Factory" specializing in the production of condiments.
Unilever said that 2023 is the 100th anniversary of Unilever's investment in China.
In the future, Unilever will continue to develop the Chinese market and work together with consumers, customers, suppliers and employees to open a new chapter of common development with China in the next century.
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