Irish Bonding Company to invest £9 million in packaging centre

Irish Bonding Company Ltd (IBC), the Diageo plc subsidiary, is to invest £9 million over the next few years to create a "world-class packaging centre of excellence" for Guinness and other Ready to Drink Products (RTD’s) in Belfast.

The IDB have also part-funded the project to the tune of £2 million from its Selective Financial Assistance scheme. The investment has already provided 95 new jobs, bringing the total employed at the plant to 185.

Trade minister Sir Reg Empey and David Gosnell, Director of Guinness and European RTD Supply, announced the investment at the company’s bottling plant at Marshall’s Road.

Sir Reg said: "The aim of the project is to establish IBC as the most cost-effective and efficient packaging plant within the company. By the time this strategically important investment project is completed, volumes will have more than doubled and production costs will have reduced to recognised world-class levels."

The minister said that the investment would help to ensure IBC’s long-term future through increasing competitiveness and offer quality employment opportunities in East Belfast.

Mr Gosnell said the first phase of the expansion of the Marshall’s Road plant had already been completed, effectively allowing production to double as the facilities provide for 24-hour, seven-day a week working practices.

Mr Gosnell added: "The next phase will see a further increase in production with the installation of more high-speed canning equipment at the plant. What this project will do is to equip IBC to become the most efficient route to market for Diageo by enabling it to achieve the lowest possible conversion costs and greatest possible production efficiencies."

IBC was established in 1951 and purchased by Guinness plc in the early 1970s. In 1997, Guinness merged with Grand Met plc to form Diageo plc. The company produces brands such as Guinness, Smirnoff, Johnny Walker and Baileys for over 180 markets around the world.

(GMcG)