Lucozade Ribena Suntory has opened a new energy and water-efficient production line at its Royal Forest Factory, Coleford.
The development comes a year after Japan-based parent company Suntory Beverage and Food announced £13 million investment into the factory, as part of its global sustainability strategy.
The investment delivers 40 percent cut on water and energy needed to make each bottle, the company said. The high-speed bottling line fills 55,000 bottles an hour.
“The launch of this production line is significant for us and forms part of our ‘Growing for Good’ vision,” commented Carol Robert, chief operating officer at Lucozade Ribena Suntory.
“This investment is a vote of confidence by Suntory Beverage & Food in our UK and Gloucestershire operations, ensuring our factory in Coleford continues to be a best-in-class facility for years to come.”
The investment itself saw approximately £10m spent on new production and processing equipment with a further £3m invested directly in local contractors who built and installed the supporting infrastructure for the new line.
Welcoming the investment, Trade Secretary Liz Truss said: “LRS’s further investment into their site in Gloucestershire is a great sign of confidence and a brilliant example of the success international businesses can find in the UK.”
Mark Harper, MP for the Forest of Dean, said: “I am delighted to see that Lucozade Ribena Suntory’s £13 million vote of confidence in the Forest of Dean is now up and running.
“This investment, £3 million of which went to local contractors, is the welcome combination of a serious effort to improve the sustainability of manufacturing with state of the art technology and the considerable talent of a workforce based in the Forest of Dean.”
