Soft drinks maker Britvic has invested £22.5 million (€26.4 million) in its sixth bottling line at its East London factory in Beckton.
The move will see the creation of 18 new jobs and support Britvic’s goal to increase production capacity in the facility by nearly 30%, the company added.
Chief executive officer, Simon Litherland; chair Ian Durant; and supply chain director, Nigel Paine, inaugurated the new bottling line.
It will produce drinks for various brands, including Tango and Pepsi MAX, with the first products expected to hit shelves in early September.
"Opening the sixth bottling line at Beckton marks the latest milestone in a series of investments into our supply chain," Paine commented.
"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."
New Bottling Line
The new line features state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment and unlocks new technological capabilities that enable faster and more efficient production, the company said in a statement.
The new team members will begin a 12-week course to train for the technical expertise needed to manage the new installation.
They will be working in engineering and manufacturing roles and bring the total site headcount to over 240 people, Britvic added.
The latest investment follows an £8 million (€9.4 million) investment to improve energy efficiency at the site.
The company has teamed up with GEA to deliver the project, with the installation commencing this summer to make Beckton sustainable for the future.
Britvic has also invested nearly £40 million (€46.9 million) in its Rugby factory to install new canning lines and £19 million (€22.3 million) to upgrade its national distribution centre.
