Carlsberg Invests £10m+ to Boost Sustainability
Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has announced its commitment to investing over £10 million in upgrading the equipment at its Northampton Brewery.
This move not only enhances the capacity for producing their revolutionary Snap Pack packaging but also takes substantial steps in reducing water consumption.
These significant upgrades will soon become a reality, with all three slated to be operational in the first quarter of the coming year. Among the key improvements are the installation of a second-generation Snap Pack can packaging machine, a cutting-edge laser can encoder, and an enhanced can filler and seamer.
Snap Pack, introduced in 2018, revolutionises the way cans are bundled by utilising innovative glue dot technology, eliminating the need for plastic rings and championing sustainability. This groundbreaking technology, co-developed by Carlsberg Group and KHS GmbH, has been adopted for some of CMBC's most renowned beers, including Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, San Miguel, Birrificio Angelo Poretti, and Brooklyn Pilsner.
By the close of 2022, Snap Pack was already being employed for 65% of the brewery's four- and six-can multipacks. The introduction of the second-generation Snap Pack machine is poised to double the production of Snap Pack multipacks, with a full transition expected by the end of 2024. As plastic rings are phased out from multipack packaging, Snap Pack is anticipated to reduce CMBC's plastic usage by up to 76% in comparison to previous packaging methods.
Additionally, a new KHS can filler, in conjunction with a Ferrum seamer and a Domino Laser Can Coder, will bring a multitude of improvements in terms of efficiency and safety. The combined impact of these new machines alone is projected to save approximately 10% of water usage, equivalent to around 18 million litres annually – an amount greater than seven Olympic-size swimming pools or almost 32 million pints.
CMBC, as part of its "Together Towards ZERO and Beyond" ESG programme, has set ambitious sustainability targets. These objectives include reducing their use of virgin fossil-based plastics by 50% by 2030 under the "ZERO Packaging Waste" initiative and achieving water usage efficiency of 2.0hl per hl of beer at all their breweries by 2030 to attain "ZERO Water Waste." This substantial investment is a significant stride towards realising these goals, with further sustainability efforts planned across CMBC's network in the coming years.
Paul Davies, CEO of CMBC, emphasised the company's dedication to environmental responsibility and the importance of this investment in Northampton to eliminate packaging waste, reduce water waste, and enhance brewery efficiency. He believes that by taking ambitious actions now, they can fulfill their sustainability objectives and bring more innovative Snap Pack multipacks to consumers.
Carlsberg, the flagship brand of CMBC, has been collaborating with WWF since 2021 to promote environmental and sustainability initiatives in the UK. Claudia Codsi, Director of Partnerships at WWF, praised CMBC's endeavours to reduce the environmental footprint of their products and packaging, highlighting the vital role of the food and drinks industry in advancing a net-zero economy that harmonises with nature.
Edgar-George Petsche, Executive Vice President of Market Zone Europe/CIS at KHS, underscored the significance of energy-efficient machinery, environmentally friendly packaging solutions, and responsible climate protection in their partnership with CMBC. This aligns with KHS's sustainability strategy, emphasising their commitment to responsible environmental practices.
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Source: CMBC
