Canada, ON: Brick Brewing Co upgrades can production capacity of its Kitchener brewery

Ontario-based Brick Brewing Co has invested CAD 3.5 million ($2.8m) to upgrade the can production capacity of its brewery in Kitchener, Ontario, FoodBev.com reported on January 12.

The canning capacity of the brewery will double to 400,000 hectolitres annually once the upgrade has been completed, according to the company.

A new can filler and pasteuriser will be installed as part of the upgrade, and the new facilities will deliver a 15% reduction in natural gas usage, a 25% reduction in water usage and a 25% reduction in effluent discharge per hectoliter compared to current equipment.

Brick Brewing Co claims the upgrade plans will fuel the continued growth of the business and improve the competitiveness of the company.

Russell Tabata, Brick’s chief operating officer said: “The project installation will be completed in May and we expect to see the upgraded can line operating at full capacity by the end of June.

“We will build inventory in advance of the project to ensure that there are no disruptions in our supply chain and we continue to meet our internal and customer’s production needs while the project is being implemented.”

George Croft, Brick Brewing president and chief executive officer added: “Each year we establish an operating plan that reflects the future needs of our business and our customers.

“This year’s capital plan ensures we continue to grow our canning capacity and capabilities for both our owner brands and our co-pack customers.

“Our ongoing investments, along with the outstanding efforts of our employees, resulted in significant can volume growth this past year. The strength and condition of our brands today give us the confidence that we will need additional canning capacity to meet the needs of our owner brands and co-pack customer brands.”