Drinks' Giants Invest In Packaging

Global drinks firm Diageo has invested over £2m to improve operating efficiencies at its Marshalls Road Global Supply Packaging facility in Belfast.

The investment allows the company to secure existing jobs as the largest premium branded alcoholic drinks manufacturer in the world and to automate some key processes and to install a canning shrink wrapping facility, improving overall operational effectiveness and increasing the range of pack types produced at this site.

Invest NI has offered £500,000 of support which includes part funding from the European Regional Development Fund. Ian Murphy, Invest NI's Managing Director of Clients and Entrepreneurship, said: "Diageo is a world leader in its sector and the group's focus on excellence and leading-edge work practices has benefited the Northern Ireland economy.

"Diageo's decision to invest in this facility was dependent on an offer of support from Invest NI and has therefore helped sustain jobs both within the company and in its supporting supply chain, where over £5.4m of raw materials are sourced locally.

"This investment in its Marshalls Road facility, one of four facilities Diageo operates in Northern Ireland, will deliver significant operational improvement.

"In addition, it will allow the company to make savings in its packaging spend, and offer more environmentally friendly alternatives to current offerings," he said, noting that Diageo employs 521 people across its four Northern Ireland operations, 151 of which work in the Marshalls Road facility.

Paul Armstrong, Operations Director Europe Beer Supply said: "The demand for new formats and pack types from consumers and large retailers requires ongoing investment in our packaging plants.

"This particular investment puts Diageo at the forefront of packaging mix capability, allowing us to produce a wide range of pack types to supply our customers with the widest variety of packs, which is important in today's highly competitive marketplace," he said, noting that Diageo Global Supply IBC Limited is investing £2,090,000 while Invest NI has offered £500,000 of support including part finance from the European Regional Development Fund under the Sustainable Competitiveness Programme for Northern Ireland.

(BMcC/GK)