Diageo has began to expand capacity at its packaging facilities in Belfast, Northern Ireland, according to the Belfast Telegraph.

The facility in Belfast will see its canning production more than double with a £24.5 million investment that will convert existing warehouses into a new state-of-the-art packaging line capable of producing 72,000 cans per hour. 

A further £16 million will be invested at the Runcorn, England, site to significantly upgrade its bottling line and expand warehousing capacity.

Diageo is making the investment to meet global demand for Guinness products from domestic and export markets, with the expansion set to support accelerated production and product innovation. It will enhance efficiency and competitiveness at both sites.

Deirdre Delaney, operations manager at Diageo’s Belfast packaging site, told the Belfast Telegraph: “Construction work has already begun, with a warehouse cleared to allow space for the new canning line and we expect the new facilities to be fully operational in 2023.

“Our site in Belfast has also been key to Diageo’s plastic packaging ambition. We replaced plastic ring carriers and shrink wraps from multipacks of our canned beers with 100% recyclable, sustainably sourced and biodegradable cardboard. Since we switched to these new beer packs, we have removed 600 tonnes of plastic from our operations each year, and we’re looking at the new opportunities in terms of making our business more sustainable.

“As a fast-paced manufacturing site in an exciting global industry, we have a diverse employee base with a focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills. We want to increase diverse representation in STEM roles both at Diageo and in the broader industry through apprenticeships and ‘returnships’ and help to create a more inclusive and sustainable world.”