Hindustan Unilever (HUL) announced that two of its manufacturing units, located in Gandhidham and Pondicherry, have been recognized by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as advanced Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Lighthouse sites. This recognition highlights HUL’s commitment to integrating advanced technologies for sustainable and efficient manufacturing. With this, HUL now has a total of five factories recognized by the WEF.
WEF Recognizes HUL Manufacturing Excellence
Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) announced that its factories in Gandhidham, Gujarat and Pondicherry have been designated as Advanced Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Lighthouse sites by the World Economic Forum (WEF). This distinction underscores HUL’s commitment to transforming operations through digital technologies and sustainable practices.
HUL’s Growing List of Lighthouse Sites
Prior to this announcement, HUL’s Dapada site received recognition in 2022, followed by the Sonepat site in 2023 and the Doom Dooma unit in 2025. Now, with the inclusion of Gandhidham and Pondicherry, HUL boasts a total of five factories acknowledged for their advanced manufacturing capabilities.
Gandhidham: A Sustainability Lighthouse
The Gandhidham unit’s recognition stems from its transformation across sustainability areas. It employed AI, digital twins, and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to improve water stewardship. As a result, the site achieved a 17% reduction in water use and saved 6.12 billion litres of community water. The site also reduced waste by 48% and lowered Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 90% through renewable energy transition.
Pondicherry: Productivity and Innovation
The Pondicherry site earned its WEF distinction in Productivity, overcoming challenges related to product complexity and throughput. The unit adopted Machine Learning-driven process control and changeover optimization, resulting in a 25% volume growth and a 23% defect reduction.
Source: BSE
