Germany: The Warsteiner Group invests in modernisation of its Herforder Brewery

German brewer The Warsteiner Group has invested €20m ($21.7m) in its Herforder Brewery, as it looks to modernise the production facility and increase the logistical and operational capabilities of the wider group, the company announced.

The majority of the capital will be used in the construction and installation of a modern bottling line at the plant. The incoming line will facilitate the filling of 0.2-liter to 0.5-liter capacity cans, as well as various product pack configurations such as 4 or 6 packs.

Warsteiner is also building a blending system and syrup room at the site. This system gives the group the ability to produce non-alcoholic beverages or mixed beer drinks at the Herforder Brewery.

“The Herford brewery will then have one of the most modern bottling lines in Germany”, said Herford site manager Frank Rottmann. “In the spring of 2024, we will start construction directly. More than 80 truckloads of material will then be delivered, including several trucks just with cables for the electrical wiring. The large machines are a real logistical challenge here.”

The Herforder Brewery was originally founded by the Uekermann family in 1878 under the name ‘Brauerei Felsenkeller’. The Warsteiner group took over and renamed the brewery in 2006.

At the Herforder site, Warsteiner produces German beers, most notably its Herforder range, which comes in seven different expressions, including a non-alcoholic pilsner and seasonal specialties.

Herforder Brewery’s empties yard is also being expanded in order to increase the brewery’s capacity. Herforder’s logistics operation will be integrated with the wider group’s warehouse management systems.

Both the filling line and site expansion are due to be completed and operational by the end of 2024.

Jim Hoffmann, technical MD at the Warsteiner Group, said: “With the new plant, the Herforder Brewery is ideally positioned for the future and can thus respond confidently to the increased demands of the market.”

At the start of this year, the Warsteiner Group invested in the German “functional-water” start-up Hye. The water beverage producer intends to partner with Warsteiner and use its production and distribution network to grow its presence outside of Germany.

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