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Princes has completed phase one of a planned £60 million investment into the expansion of its Cardiff soft drinks manufacturing site.

The first phase of the project saw the installation of seven new ambient mini and chilled soft drink production lines, as well as an upgrade and refurbishment of two existing lines.

The three new mini lines can reportedly process 24,000 cartons an hour, while for chilled, Princes says the four new Elopak gable top fillers can produce 14,000 cartons an hour.

80 employees have now joined the team, with up to another 50 jobs set to be recruited later this year.

Princes’ Cardiff factory currently produces 1 litre cartons and multipacks of ambient fruit juice under its Princes and Jucee brands, in addition to own label products.

The entire upgrade – which marks the company’s largest ever investment into soft drinks – is set to double production capacity at the site. Princes says the project will enable it to offer additional packaging sizes and formats, as well as expand its product range beyond fruit juice and enter new markets.

The project – which will also boost the facility’s warehousing and logistical capabilities – remains on track to be completed in 2021 and the site will remain fully operational during this time.

Barry McDonnell, chief operations officer at Princes, said: “This is an important milestone in our £60 million investment programme at Cardiff, which will future-proof the site and our manufacturing capabilities, increase production and enable Princes to enter new markets.

“Through this development programme, we are firmly committed to contributing to a sustainable and successful future for the soft drinks industry and British manufacturing overall, and providing long-term, high quality employment opportunities in the area.”

Princes also says the investment will reduce its carbon footprint through increased efficiencies and the use of more environmentally-friendly carton materials.

In 2019, Princes installed a new squash bottling lineat its manufacturing site in Bradford, UK.