Farsons opens €24.5m packaging and logistics centres

A new soft drinks packaging centre and a state-of-the-art logistics centre costing €24.5 million were inaugurated by President Eddie Fenech Adami at the Farsons Brewery in Mrieħel last night.

Farsons chairman Bryan A Gera, said the completion of the two facilities not only gave the company the confidence that it would remain a market leader in the domestic market but also encouraged it to further exploit the potential that its own branded products have on the export markets.

Increasing efficiency, enhancing the quality and improving the service were the main themes of an address by Group CEO Louis A Farrugia.

"These projects will enable us to keep on moving ahead and to meet the challenges of a completely liberalised market while guaranteeing the quality of the branded products the Farsons Group produces and is privileged to be associated with," he said.

The last phase of the brewery master plan is the building of a new brewhouse, scheduled to start in mid-2009 and be in operation by the end of the first quarter of 2011. On completion, the main brewery building will be freed up and Farsons are planning to make good use of it as a possible Business Park for the financial service industry.

The soft drinks line is capable of producing carbonated soft drinks, beer and beer mixers and both still and carbonated water. It can handle 50cl bottles at speeds of 18,000 bottles per hour.

The key principle in the entire design of the logistics centre was to store the products in the right ambience at the right temperature and ensure a constant flow of products in and out of the centre with adequate marshalling space.

Farsons said particular attention was given to environmental aspects. All structures are insulated and a building management system allows full control in order to optimise energy use. Heat exchangers have been installed to allow energy recovery during air circulation and energy efficient lights were fitted where possible. Fork lift trucks operate with a battery regeneration system and new trucks meet Euro4 emission standards. While solar heating will be employed for non-industrial hot water, all rain water from the site will be collected.