Environment

Robert Wiseman Dairies has announced that it is already preparing to increase production capacity at its Bridgwater dairy nine months after production started at the site.

Robert Wiseman, chief executive of Robert Wiseman Dairies, said at the official launch of the Somerset dairy this week that the company has already started preparing for a capacity lift to 350m litres per annum.

The company has invested £80m to date in the facility. A total of £45m was invested in the new 325,000m³ plant and a further £35m has been spent on kit.

Another £20m is earmarked to take the facility from its current 250m litres a year capacity to its target of 500 million litres a year.

Plastic bottle specialist Alpla UK has an in-plant blow-moulding facility at the Bridgwater dairy. It currently runs four blow-moulding lines that serve three filling lines.

Land was broken at the 21-acre Bridgwater site in September 2006 and production started in December 2007.

Minister for Sustainable Food and Farming Lord Rooker described the new facility as "a beacon for the rest of the industry".

Robert Wiseman produces its own-brand dairy products in addition to serving customers such as Sainsbury's Tesco, Iceland and the Co-op.

Robert Wiseman Dairies processes and distributes milk from 22 sites across the UK and employs more than 4,500 people.