Italy: Heineken investing €73 million in modernizing its Assemini brewery

Heineken Italia is investing €73 million to modernise and expand its Assemini brewery, near Cagliari, where Ichnusa beer is produced, the European Supermarket Magazine reported on March 1.

The renovation will see the addition of a new refrigeration plant, carbon dioxide storage facilities, and cooling towers.

The project will contribute in improving environmental performance, with a reduction in the consumption of water, electricity and emissions.

The investment will boost the production and packaging capacity of the oldest brewery in Sardinia, the brewer noted. When fully operational (in 2024), the packaging capacity will increase by more than 60% compared to present numbers.

According to the company, its business plan will support the growth of beer production in Sardinia, with positive impact on the local and national production chain.

It is also part of a development agreement signed with Italy’s ministry of economic development, the National Agency for Inward Investment and Economic Development (Invitalia) and the Sardinia Region.

The expansion project will involve a contribution of approximately €14 million from the ministry of economic development and €200,000 from the Sardinia Region.

According to managing director Wietse Mutters, with this investment Heineken Italia aims to become a “driving force behind the recovery of beer and the agri-food economy”, after “the pandemic wiped out the entire growth of the sector in the last four years”.

Elsewhere, Invitalia highlighed that the investment at Assemini includes the adoption of state-of-the-art automated machinery and three new warehouses for the storing packaging materials and finished products.

Besides Assemini, Heineken has three other plants in Italy – Comun Nuovo, Massafra and Pollein – in addition to the Milan headquarters and the active partnership in Sicily with Birrificio Messina.

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