The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) is investing €5.7m into an advanced water infrastructure at one of its largest manufacturing sites, Oevel in Belgium, aiming to save approximately 25 million litres of water annually.
The beauty giant is implementing a new integrated water circularity approach at its Oevel plant, designed to keep water in use longer throughout operations, while also reducing reliance on incoming freshwater and minimising wastewater discharge.
Once operational, ELC said the project is expected to reduce water intensity from 9.3 litres/kg to 3.6 litres/kg of product and save approximately 25 million litres of water annually, which is the equivalent to around ten Olympic-sized swimming pools.
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This fresh funding by ELC in water resilience comes as manufacturers across the globe are investing in advanced solutions to improve water efficiency, while maintaining quality and operational reliability.
It also forms part of a broader transformation that is underway at Oevel, where new technologies, automation, digital capabilities and advanced infrastructure “are helping build the next generation of beauty manufacturing,” read a company statement.
This news comes as ELC doubles down on transforming its beauty supply chain into a “strategic engine of growth” in a world that is growing ever more volatile.
How will Estée Lauder Companies’ new integrated water circularity approach at Oevel manufacturing plant work?
ELC said it is rethinking “the entire water cycle within manufacturing operations” by combining three elements into one new integrated water circularity programme.
The advanced water infrastructure is said to reduce freshwater withdrawal through enhanced purified water systems, and reuse water within equipment cleaning and sanitisation operations.
It will also transform wastewater into a reusable resource for “defined operational purposes”, such as equipment cleaning and sanitisation.
ELC said together these technologies are designed to keep water in use for longer, reducing the company’s dependence on incoming freshwater and minimising wastewater discharge.
This project will also serve as a scalable model for potential future deployment across ELC’s wider manufacturing network.
It also aligns with the company’s ongoing ‘Beauty Reimagined’ turnaround strategy, which aims to improve profitability, boost lagging sales and streamline operations.
"‘Beauty Reimagined’ is about building a more agile, more resilient and more consumer-centric company for the future," said Alexander Gregorian, Senior VP, Manufacturing & Engineering, ELC.
"Oevel demonstrates how we are translating that ambition into reality through advanced manufacturing, digital innovation and responsible resource management.
“Just as importantly, the learnings from this project will help inform future manufacturing initiatives across our broader network.
“The combination of innovation, operational excellence and water stewardship will play an increasingly important role in the future of manufacturing."
Water circularity is just one element of Oevel manufacturing campus’ broader transformation.
The site has also undergone recent investments across artificial intelligence (AI), automation, digital manufacturing, logistics and production technologies, which the company said is helping it create “a more agile, efficient and future-ready manufacturing operation”.
More than €150m has been invested in Oevel over the past decade.
Image caption: A visualisation of the Oevel water circularity project, highlighting the company's approach to responsible water management through advanced manufacturing and digital innovation.
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