Nestlé increases capacity of Ohio quality assurance centre with $31m investment

Switzerland-based Nestlé has increased the capacity and efficiency of the Nestlé Quality Assurance Center (NQAC) in Dublin, Ohio, US, with an investment of $31m.

This investment was intended to raise the standards for the verification of food safety and quality, as well as provide support for the implementation and maintenance of food safety programmes.

Nestlé has invested in advanced food safety systems and development of top quality and safety experts and laboratories.

NQAC regional manager for Americas Edgar Vanegas said: “As we celebrate our 150th anniversary, the Nestlé Quality Assurance Center exemplifies what we mean when we say ‘at Nestle, quality means more.’

“We recognise that we have a responsibility to the public and hold all of our foods and beverages to the highest safety and quality standards. This is a responsibility we never take lightly.”

Nestlé USA quality management vice-president Gregory Pritchard said:  “At Nestlé, each and every employee is accountable for food quality and safety, and we are investing in the leading tools in the world to ensure quality that allows our millions of consumers to have confidence in our products.

“We aim to earn consumer trust by never compromising on quality in anything we do.”

Following this investment, NQAC Dublin has become the largest and sophisticated testing facility in the Nestlé network.

The newly expanded NQAC has now become the lead quality assurance centre for all Nestlé businesses in the Americas.

Its size has doubled to 82,000ft², which includes an expanded 32,000ft² microbiology lab, and renovated chemistry lab and associated facilities that boost capacity and efficiency, and improve safety for all products tested.

The expanded NQAC has the capacity and ability to test almost every Nestlé product, ingredient and manufacturing environment to verify that they conform to all applicable regulatory requirements.

Test results from the Dublin lab are critical to the company's supply chain.

The Dublin NQAC has a workforce of more than 220 chemists, microbiologists, food scientists, quality specialists and support staff, who offer specialised laboratory services.