SABMiller Completes Phase 1 of Indian Brewery Modernization

20/04/06 SABMiller India, India’s second largest Beer manufacturer has announced the completion of Phase 1 of the modernization project at its brewery in Aurangabad in Maharasthra. With this the brewery’s annual capacity goes up 400% from 20, 00,000 cases to 84, 00,000 cases (170,000 to 700,000 cases per month), catapaulting it into the league of one of India’s largest breweries. The increased capacity will help the Company cater to increased demand from Southern Maharashtra and parts of Andhra Pradesh.

Phase 1 of the modernization, which has now become operational, includes improvements in the glass bottle packaging line, brewhouse, storage and fermentation tanks and other associated utilities. The plant boasts of a fully automated brew house with state of the art control system and an online display of process parameters at a central control room. The plant would have an additional 15 uni tanks, with fully automated control system ensuring quality beer.

Further, a wastewater treatment plant consisting of modern ultra filtration systems and reverse osmosis that will enable recycling of treated wastewater for service water requirements also becomes operational today. This is expected to recycle and generate potable water for use within the plant.
The modernization is also expected to create additional indirect employment of almost 50% in empty and full bottle handling and warehousing operations. Phase 2 of the modernization will begin in May 2006 and is expected to be completed by end 2007.

This modernization project is part of the company’s plans to invest over usd 125 million over 5 years in modernizing improving efficiencies in its breweries in india. Mr. Richard Rushton, Managing Director, SABMiller India, said, “The expansion and modernization at the brewery are part of our plan to modernize and improve production efficiencies at all facilities. In this case the process has been holistic and modular in nature thus enabling the brewery to achieve record production levels while operating at economies of scale.’  

The modernized brewery was inaugurated by the Excise Commissioner of Maharashtra, Mr. Rao who congratulated the Brewery on the expansion and was impressed with the state of the art modernized facilities. He lauded the Company’s efforts in ensuring environment friendly operations and hoped other brewers in the state would also follow suit.