Announcing results for the 28 weeks to 14 April, the company said it had introduced three polyethylene terephthalate (PET) lines and a new aseptic line to the Rugby plant during the period.
“We have built an automated, on-site warehouse and installed a combined heat and power plant [at Rugby],” the company added in its results statement. That was in addition to the three can lines it had installed there.
“Work is ongoing to finalise commissioning of the lines and optimise production efficiency to enable us to complete the transfer of production of Robinsons and Fruit Shoot from Norwich.”
Road miles
The three-site network would be more efficient and would generate significantly fewer road miles. It would also help accelerate Britvic’s ability to respond to changing consumer trends with agility and pace by expanding the range of liquids and pack sizes it offers.
“With the programme coming to an end, we will also see a material improvement in the cash flow generation of the group,” the business stated.
Britvic avidly supported the industry-wide environmental initiative known as the UK Plastics Pact, which was launched a year ago, and introduced its Arto LIFE WTR packaging in March, containing 50% recycled PET. Alongside other companies, it is also working to develop a UK recycling strategy.
Britvic reported adjusted earnings before interest and taxes up 5% at constant exchange rates in the 28 weeks to 14 April, from £80.5m to £83.7m on revenue up 4.9%, from £733.2m to £769.2m. This had been helped by strong growth in sales of its Pepsi Max, 7-Up Free, Tango, R Whites and Purdey’s brands in the UK market, it claimed.
