Diageo invests in US Smirnoff bottling plant

Published: 23 July, 2008

Diageo is pushing ahead with an $18 million investment to expand its Plainfield technical and bottling facility despite the recent US economic downturn.

The plant, which has processing and storage capacity for Smirnoff vodka, will upgrade its packaging lines to meet market demand for the product.

Diageo recently bought 36 acres of land adjacent to the Illinois Plainfield facility in July 2007 for $13.9 million, which will be used for the development.

The company said the expansion would follow "a number of global investments Diageo has made in recent months to capitalise on consumer growth for premium spirits products".

John Council, Diageo Americas supply president, said: "In this time of economic uncertainty, we are pleased to make another significant investment in one of our key manufacturing facilities and simultaneously bolster Plainfield's local economy.

"With more than 300 Diageo employees working in the state of Illinois, we are committed to giving back to the communities in which we live and work and this investment is a further testament to that."

Diageo's Plainfield bottling site currently handles over 12m cases of spirits each year.

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