Britvic’s £22.5m investment to increase production by 30%

Soft drinks manufacturer Britvic is investing £22.5m in its sixth bottling line at its East London factory which aims to increase production capacity by nearly 30%.

In addition, Britvic said the investment will create 18 new jobs.

The new line at its Beckon site, which was officially opened by Britvic CEO Simon Litherland, chairman Ian Durant and supply chain director Nigel Paine on 14 August, will produce brands including Tango and Pepsi MAX. The first products are expected to become available early September.

Paine said: “Opening the sixth bottling line at Beckton marks the latest milestone in a series of investments into our supply chain.

“As we continue to grow and meet increasing demand, boosting our capacity at the Beckton site allows us to keep delivering on our goals and create a resilient business.”

As the site completes the line’s commissioning process, new team members will begin a 12-week training course to equip them with the technical expertise to manage the new installation.

The new recruits will be working in engineering and manufacturing roles and bring the total site headcount to over 240 people.

The announcement follows Britvic’s recent £8m investment to improve energy efficiency at the factory in a bid to cut carbon emissions by 50%.

Image: Britvic's Beckton site