Suntory Oceania has commenced work on a 14 km stretch of solar panels at its new $400 million facility in Ipswich, Queensland.
The 7000 solar panels will power the production of over 20 million cases of beverages a year on commencement and, among the site’s other carbon neutral ambitions, will be the subject of the Australian Food and Grocery Council’s 2024 Sustaining Australia TV series.
Other sustainability investments at the facility include a biomass boiler that will use offcuts from the local sawmill as fuel to generate heat for the sites manufacturing heating requirements, and the fitting of an organic Rankine cycle generator to capture waste heat and turn it into green energy.
Ian Roberts, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Suntory Beverage and Food Oceania, said the facility provided extraordinary capabilities to fast-track innovation and disrupt the market.
“This is the largest single FMCG investment in Australia in over a decade.
“Our carbon neutral ‘smart’ facility – powered by a combination of solar, biomass and green energy – will give Suntory unrivalled ability to innovate, respond to customer demand, and deliver beverages that are made locally and sustainably.”
The Ipswich facility will play a critical role in unlocking the power of Suntory in the region, delivering innovation and full end-to-end control of its portfolio, including manufacturing, sales, and distribution.
“Led by our Growing For Good philosophy, Suntory has taken every opportunity to use leading technology and set new standards for sustainable manufacturing in Australia,” said Roberts.
The Sustaining Australia episode provides an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the world-class manufacturing and distribution facility and showcases its sustainable approach to manufacturing.
As well as a close up look at the Ipswich facility, the episode discusses the impact the facility will have on the industry, the Ipswich community, and profiles the investments that will power the site sustainably.
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