SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 31st October (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Japanese ambassador to Spain, Takahiro Nakamae, accompanied by the Japanese consul in the Canary Islands, Shinji Yamada, paid a visit to the recently refurbished JTI factory in the Canary Islands on Wednesday.
JTI has operated in the Canary Islands for over 60 years, establishing its factory in Tenerife, where it has invested around 75 million euros in the past decade to equip it with state-of-the-art technology, transforming it into the largest production facility for cigarettes in Spain.
“The combination of technology, investment and local expertise has enabled the Tenerife production centre to stand out among the 37 factories that JTI has globally,” stated Natalia Khomenko, the new director of the Tenerife facility.
During the visit, the ambassador, the consul, and the accompanying delegation were able to observe the new offices and the newly installed high-speed production lines. JTI currently employs over 330 individuals in the Canary Islands and accounts for more than half of the cigarette production within the archipelago.
Thanks to the upgrades at the Tenerife production centre, there has been an increase in production volumes in recent years, thereby enhancing the level of tobacco exports from the Canary Islands. Moreover, JTI has successfully adapted and expanded in a globalised market, with 60% of Tenerife’s output being designated for export.
Lastly, Ahmad Ismail, the general director of JTI in the Canary Islands, remarked during the visit that the JTI factory in Tenerife represents not just a production site, but also a testament to the company’s dedication to the Canary Islands: “Every investment we undertake mirrors our commitment to the region and the quality of our products”.
