1 minute read
Diageo to invest £40.5m across two beer packaging facilities
Diageo is expanding capacity at its packaging facilities in Belfast and Runcorn with a £40.5m investment, that is set to support the growth of Guinness Draught and Guinness Zero.
The facility in Belfast will see its canning production more than double with a £24.5m investment that will convert existing warehouses into a new state-of-the-art packaging line, capable of producing 72,000 cans per hour. A further £16m will be invested at Diageo’s Runcorn site in Cheshire to significantly upgrade its bottling line and expand warehousing capacity.
Diageo is investing £40.5m to expand capacity across its packaging facilities in Belfast and Runcorn / Picture: Diageo
Diageo says it is making the investment to meet global demand for Guinness products from domestic and export markets, with the expansion set to support accelerated production and product innovation. It will enhance efficiency and competitiveness at both sites. Construction is set to begin immediately, with the new capacity at both facilities expected to become available in 2023.
Aidan Crowe, operations director for beer at Diageo, said: “This expansion is a significant investment in the development of our packaging facilities. The projects in Belfast and Runcorn will support our growth ambitions, helping us to deliver end-to-end product innovation, and reinforce our agility to meet demand and provide excellent service to our customers around the world.”
The new capacity at both facilities is expected to become available in 2023 / Picture: Diageo