I was delighted to be invited to aid in the launch of the new high-speed bottle line at the Lucozade Ribena Suntory factory in Coleford this morning.
Lucozade Ribena Suntory has been a presence in the Forest of Dean since 1946 and a fantastic source for locals looking for employment, with around 90% of the employees living in Coleford itself. With £13 million invested in this new line, it shows real confidence in the Coleford site’s position for the future. The investment itself saw approximately £10 million spent on new production and processing equipment with a further £3 million invested directly in local contractors who built and installed the supporting infrastructure for the new line.
The new line will fill 55,000 bottles an hour, make the Coleford site 4% more energy and water efficient and take 40% less water and energy to produce each individual bottle, than other lines.
I thoroughly enjoyed the tour of the new line, where every aspect of the process was explained from the stretching of the bottles, to the filling and capping. I wish Lucozade Ribena Suntory continued success with their ever increasing low sugar drinks lines and their positive impact on the local community.