FDBusiness.com

Japan-based Suntory Beverage & Food is investing £13 million in its UK-based subsidiary Lucozade Ribena Suntory to install a new, high-speed bottle filler at its factory in Coleford, Gloucestershire. The new filler will produce 1.3 million bottles a day and will be instrumental in increasing productivity and efficiency at the Lucozade Ribena Suntory factory.

The investment will see approximately £10 million spent on new production and processing equipment with a further £3 million invested directly in local contractors who will build and install supporting infrastructure for the new line.

The new line will be staffed by factory employees that Lucozade Ribena Suntory has trained through its use of the apprenticeship levy. The company, one of the leading soft drinks businesses in the UK and Ireland, has used the levy fund to bolster its development programme, which recruits and trains apprentices to strengthen the engineering skillset at Coleford.

These investments underpin the company’s continued commitment to the future of UK manufacturing, its Coleford factory and the Gloucestershire region.

Using the latest technology, the new filler will also support the company’s global sustainability strategy by reducing the amount of water and energy used during the manufacturing process. The amount of water and energy required to produce each bottle will be reduced by 40%.

The installation of the new filler is set to commence in spring 2019 and it is expected to be fully operational by the end of the year.

Chris Kane, Supply Chain Operations Director at Lucozade Ribena Suntory, comments: “We see our Coleford factory as the heartbeat of our UK operations and we are proud that it is one of the most efficient factories across the globe. Our parent company, Suntory Beverage & Food recognises this status and their £13 million investment is a vote of confidence in our UK and Gloucestershire operations, ensuring Coleford continues to be a best-in class site for years to come.”