At work on Magic Rock’s new canning line. Photographs: Sam Needham
Magic Rock Brewing hosted an open day with supplier KHS showcasing its newly commissioned Innofill CAN Compact line, the first line of its type to be installed within the United Kingdom.
The facility — an £850,000 investment, facilitated with the help of HSBC and HSBC Asset Finance — is part of Magic Rock’s ongoing commitment to quality.
The line will deliver industry-leading speed and pack quality to the craft beer sector, and the flexibility to pack in two different can sizes, as well as label smaller runs of special beers in-line.
Magic Rock Brewing’s managing director, Richard Burhouse, head of production, Christa Sandquist, and head brewer, Stuart Ross, ran through some of the decisions they made prior to the investment, and some of the challenges they faced throughout the process.
Richard said: “We had a number of priorities when choosing our new canning facility. The first was quality, closely followed by footprint and then price.
“KHS delivered on all three fronts, with industry-leading quality standards, the smallest footprint of any comparable line, and competitive pricing.
“The delivery and installation was completed in a professional and efficient manner, and the line has performed impeccably. If you’re looking for an integrated packaging solution I’d have no hesitation recommending KHS for your project.”
Magic Rock has grown its canned beer range significantly over the last three years, starting with three of its core range in September 2015, to ten core range brews in 2018, plus monthly special release beers.
Sales growth
Sales figures have increased steadily over the last three years, with 53,000 cases sold in 2016, 79,000 in 2017, and 2018’s sales already matching 2017 by the middle of October.
The new filling line will enable further sales growth in the can sector by allowing Magic Rock to fill more cans faster and more efficiently, with improved stability and shelf life.
Stuart Ross said: “Magic Rock began canning in 2015, following our relocation to a new site. After two years of rapid expansion and increases in canned beer sales, we found the need review our canning situation.
“Our goals were to increase efficiency, reduce beer losses, reduce TPO (total package oxygen), futureproof our packaging capacity, and improve stability and the quality of the final product. With careful consideration and planning we chose the KHS Innofill canning line.”
