Suntory invests £13m to install high-speed bottle filler at UK site

Japan’s 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 the funding 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.

Lucozade Ribena Suntory – which makes brands such as Fitwater, Ribena and Orangina – said 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, said: “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.”

Liam Fox MP, international trade secretary, said: “Japan is an important trading partner and we are committed to creating an even stronger trading relationship as we leave the European Union, which will help to increase investment and support jobs throughout the UK.

“This £13 million investment by Lucozade Ribena Suntory in its Gloucestershire factory is great news for local businesses, customers and the economy and will help support more than 330 jobs in the local area.”