The two-year project by Simonds Farsons Cisk worth an investment of Lm10.5 million/e24.46 million for the new packaging centre for soft drinks and logistic centre will be completed in the next two weeks, Farsons Group chief executive Louis Farrugia said yesterday.

Mr Farrugia made his announcement at the end of a visit and tour of the new premises by Opposition leader Alfred Sant.

Malta Labour Party (MLP) Deputy Leader Charles Mangion and Secretary General Jason Micallef were also present. Mr Farrugia explained up to 10 million gallons of water are saved every year with the new soft drinks line and another one million gallons of the product is saved in the catchment area.

The new soft drinks line can produce up to 18,000 bottles an hour of carbonated soft drinks, beer and beer mixers.

The soft drinks bottling line includes a bottle blowing machine, rinser and filler, a mixer carbonator complete with chiller, three palletising machines and a conveyor belt to the new logistics centre.

Mr Farrugia explained that the logistics centre was built and designed to store the products – juices, wines and beer – at the right temperatures. The centre will replace – and act as the main storage area – the five depots around the island making transport and stock inventory much easier.

The logistics centre has a fully computerised warehouse management system which allows bulk breaking and direct dispatch to businesses. The conveyor belt transports the packaged product from the factory to the logistics centre – a trip that takes around 20 minutes.

Floor workers then place the product in one of the 11,000 pallett positions which incorporates a cooled area for beer at 21 degrees Celsius and seven levels of high bay-racking.

Eventually Wands Corporation will be relocated to a 1,000 square metre storage area where the spirits will be stored at a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius.

During a short press conference, Mr Farrugia explained that the project was announced in April 2005 and was completed according to the set deadline.

“It was an intensive project – the logistic centre required a large amount of operational planning,” said Mr Farrugia.

He explained that, in two weeks time, Farsons Brewery will launch over 30 products packed in polyethylene terephthalate – more commonly known as PET.

“Farsons will also participate in recycling schemes that will still have to be agreed upon by a number of consolidated bodies,” said Mr Farrugia.

Dr Sant said that he was impressed with the project and praised Mr Farrugia and the company for sticking to the project’s deadlines.

“We have a lot to learn from this project – the investment was implemented according to plan,” said the opposition leader.

This example should be taken up by both the public and private sector, added Dr Sant.