Due to the influence of communities within the country, the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited has reiterated its commitment to environmental stewardship by ensuring completion of the production of eco-friendly bottles into the Nigerian market.
NBC’s environmental stewardship refers to the responsible use and protection of the natural environment through conservation and sustainable practices. And the Managing Director, NBC Ltd, George Polymenakos said NBC is only as strong as the communities the company operates in.
NBC began production of eco-friendly bottles in 2008, and 10-years after, the company intends to fulfill its promise which will also boost its production capacity across various operations this year.
“We started this capital-intensive project 10 years ago as part of our commitment to environmental stewardship. The implications of this project are far reaching on the environment, energy use and even impact on our roads.”
In 2015, NBC focused on investments and upgraded its manufacturing facilities in Nigeria in a bid to double production capacity. In a recent report by Punch, Polymenakos said the company would reap the returns on its huge investments of over 500 million Euros, directed at beefing up operations over the last four years.
Company growth amid economy slow pace
Polymenakos said despite the slow growth Nigeria’s economy was experiencing, the company is very much optimistic, with a positive performance projected for this year. NBC expects to record good business performance due to the solid foundation laid with the bolstering of necessary infrastructure, enhancement of its portfolio, and the renewed commitment of its employees to deliver on projection.
Polymenakos further stated that the right infrastructure has been acquired to meet the needs and yearnings of consumers, which will also create value for the shareholders.
“The NBC’s business transformation and optimisation plan which commenced in 2015, led to NBC bringing into Nigeria, investment of over five hundred million Euros for the expansion and extensive upgrade of our manufacturing plants in Asejire, Ikeja, Abuja, Owerri, Challawa, Maiduguri, Port Harcourt and Benin, with the resultant increase in our total production capacity.
