Britvic announces £1.15m energy upgrade at Rugby factory

Leading soft drinks business Britvic is cutting carbon and saving energy with more than a million pounds of investment in its Rugby factory.

The major environmental upgrade will see the factory’s centralised chilling system upgraded to make use of more efficient cooling towers. This £1,150,000 investment will be supported by a grant of £305,000 from the government’s Industrial Energy Transformation Fund.

The cooling towers will offer increased efficiency over the current heat rejection set up, allowing for a reduction in electricity consumption on the chiller units. This will provide a cost saving in the medium term and cover the cost of the investment within four years. This reduction in the site’s electricity consumption will also see carbon emissions cut, saving up to 650 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per year.

Britvic said the upgrade will enhance the reliability and efficiency of the chilling system, especially during the peak summer months, allowing the production of much-loved brands including Robinsons, Tango and Pepsi MAX to continue smoothly during warmer weather.

Heat is removed from products such as Pepsi MAX prior to carbonisation to avoid foaming and waste. Heat is also removed from drinks that have been pasteurised.

“Britvic is proud to be at the forefront of our industry when it comes to sustainable manufacturing practices. This project is an important step forward in our carbon reduction efforts as well as improving the efficiency of our operations,” Paul Graham, Britvic’s managing director in Great Britain, said.

“Supported by the government's Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, this initiative not only signifies our dedication to environmental stewardship but also showcases Britvic’s commitment to our Healthier People, Healthier planet sustainability goals.”

Work on the project began in November and be completed by February 2025.

This project follows an £8 million investment to increase efficiency at Britvic’s London factory announced in 2023. This was also supported by the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund and work commenced on the project last year.

Both projects are part of Britvic’s long-term strategy to reduce its carbon emissions. In February Britvic announced that 75 per cent of its National Grid electricity needs in Britain now come from a 160-acre solar farm in Northamptonshire. This initiative could cut 642 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the drink manufacturer’s supply chain each year.

In 2023, Britvic announced a similar agreement in Ireland – meaning that 75 per cent of Britvic Ireland’s total electricity requirements are now provided by wind power.