Drinks firm invests £2 million into machinery upgrade

A drinks firm has invested £2 million into a machinery upgrade at its Belfast production factory.

Diageo, which produces Guinness, received a quarter of the funding from NI Invest and the European Development Fund.

Commenting on the venture, Diageo operations director of the European beer supply division Paul Armstrong said that it would enable the firm to meet growing consumer demand for different types of packaging.

Ian Murphy, Invest NI’s managing director of clients and entrepreneurship, said: "This investment in its Marshalls Road facility, one of four facilities Diageo operates in Northern Ireland, will deliver significant operational improvement.

"In addition, it will allow the company to make savings in its packaging spend, and offer more environmentally friendly alternatives to current offerings.”

Some of the functions in the factory have also been automated in order to reduce costs.

Other major brands produced by the drinks giant include Bailey's and Smirnoff.

The investment comes on the back of a monthly report by the Manufacturing Technologies Association, which claimed that purchases of equipment have leapt in the last quarter.

Typical Guttridge equipment used in the process systems, process engineering and manufacturing processes industry includes; heavy duty conveyors-industrial conveyors – belt conveyors

James Smith