According to a report from Digi24 on December 23rd, Mircea Scăunașu, the General Manager of Philip Morris International (PMI) in Romania, stated in an interview that "the new tobacco products used in Japan are actually produced at the Philip Morris International (PMI) factory in Otopeni, Romania.
The spokesperson pointed out that in 2024, IQOS remains the leader in new tobacco products in Romania. PMI introduced the ILUMA i Prime device and ZYN nicotine pouches in 2024, while investing $730 million in the Otopeni factory. 92% of the new tobacco products produced at the factory are sold in 54 markets across five continents.
From PMI's perspective, Romania is making gradual and steady progress towards a smoke-free future. The number of IQOS users is steadily increasing and has now surpassed half a million. Romania holds a central position in PMI's smoke-free future strategy. Over the past 30 years, PMI has become a reliable partner to the government through factory investments and national tax contributions.
Over the past decade, Japan has seen a rise in the number of IQOS users to 8.5 million people, with the adult smoking rate decreasing from 20% to 13%. Additionally, a significant portion of the consumables for the new tobacco products used in Japan are produced at the Philip Morris International (PMI) factory in Otopeni, Romania. Japan is one of the main destinations for Romania's heated tobacco exports. In 2023, exports of heated tobacco to Japan reached 594 million euros, accounting for 42% of total exports.
The spokesperson pointed out that the launch of ZYN nicotine pouches is another step for PMI to expand its new tobacco product line. They stated that the company will continue to invest in the Otopeni factory until 2025, with a focus on sustainable development and product innovation. The goal is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025, including installing solar panels to reduce carbon emissions.
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