Centrale Danone inaugurates its “Green Factory”

Tuesday, July 11, was looking like a high mass, in Meknes, on the occasion of the inauguration of the “Green Factory” of the Centrale Danone factory. Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Trade, traveled to attend this ceremony alongside Laurent Sacchi, General Secretary of Danone, and Nathalie Alquier, CEO of Centrale Danone. The overall investment program amounts to 161 million Dirhams (US 16 million) and will ultimately enable the creation of 120 direct jobs. At the Meknes unit, the investment includes, in addition to the extension of certain milk beverage and dessert production lines, a major component relating to the installation of equipment and facilities intended to improve the plant’s energy footprint with a dedicated investment of 17 million Dirhams (US 1.7 million), with a contribution from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. These investments also demonstrate Centrale Danone’s desire to remain at the forefront of innovation and respond to market developments through continuous improvement in the quality and diversity of the products offered. “We are delighted to inaugurate our first “Green Factory” in Morocco, in our factory in Meknes, to contribute to the development of renewable energies in Morocco”, declared Laurent Sacchi, General Secretary of Danone. The representative of Antoine de Saint-Affrique, Managing Director of Danone, added: “ This pilot model illustrates our commitment to improving the energy efficiency of our industrial sites in Morocco”. “We would like to thank the Government of Morocco for its support, guidance, and commitment to the development of a local, modern, sovereign, and sustainable dairy industry”, added Sacchi.
Concretely, the “Green Factory” of Meknes includes several equipment and facilities intended to improve the energy footprint of the factory. Among these is the installation of a biogas plant for the production of biogas using a chemical process for the methanization of organic matter from the sewage sludge from the plant’s sewage treatment plant. The biogas generated by the process is used in the plant’s boilers for the production of steam. This biogas enables an average production of 4,600 Nm3/d, or the equivalent of 30% of the plant’s current steam needs. “We have also installed a biomass plant producing biomethane”, underlined the management of the company. This plant is fed by a wide variety of materials, mainly olive pomace which is abundant in Meknes. The biomass plant of the Meknes site is built on an area of nearly 550 square meters. It is recognized by its green shaded cladding facades due to its lasting contribution to reducing the plant’s energy consumption. It should be noted that the biogas plant has also equipped itself with a wastewater treatment plant with a volume of 2,000 cubic meters of treated water per day. In addition, the Meknes unit has equipped itself with ecofriendly buildings. 

Y.S.A.