The drinks firm has spent £1.15m upgrading the factory’s centralised chilling system to make use of more efficient colling towers.
This investment – supported by a £305,000 grant from the Government’s Industrial Energy Transformation Fund – will offer increased efficiency over the current heat rejection set up, allowing for a reduction in electricity consumption on the chiller units.
The cooling towers will offer increased efficiency over the current heat rejection set up, allowing for a reduction in electricity consumption on the chiller units, and provide a cost saving in the medium term while covering the cost of the investment within four years.
Summer benefits
Britvic will see the most benefit from the new system in the summer months, allowing the production of brands including Robinsons, Tango and Pepsi MAX to continue smoothly during warmer weather.
Commenting on the upgrade, Britvic’s managing director in Great Britain Paul Graham said: “Britvic is proud to be at the forefront of our industry when it comes to sustainable manufacturing practices. This project is an important step forward in our carbon reduction efforts as well as improving the efficiency of our operations.
“Supported by the Government’s Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, this initiative not only signifies our dedication to environmental stewardship but also showcases Britvic’s commitment to our Healthier People, Healthier planet sustainability goals.”
Sustainability investment
Britvics sustainability project followed an £8m investment to increase efficiency at the company’s London factory, also supported by the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund. Originally announced in 2023, work commenced on the project last year.
Both projects are part of Britvic’s long-term strategy to reduce its carbon emissions, which has already seen the drinks firm draw 75% of its National Grid electricity needs in Great Britain from a 160-acre solar farm in Northamptonshire. This initiative could cut 642 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the drink manufacturer’s supply chain each year.
Meanwhile, in other investment news, Egg producer Bird Bros has hatched a £1m plan to improve efficiency and sustainability at its Bedfordshire headquarters by investing in robot automation equipment.
