Nestlé Waters UK Invests £31 Million at Buxton Factory
A major investment of around £31 million is flowing into the Nestlé Waters factory at Buxton in England to increase capacity, improve distribution and reduce carbon emissions. This investment further cements the long-term future of Nestlé Waters in Buxton.
Work is already underway on a £26 million extension to the factory’s warehouse facility to create a state-of-the-art logistics operation that significantly reduces the need for external storage. The expansion will mean simpler and more efficient distribution delivered directly from the Buxton site.
At the same time, a further £5 million is being spent on the construction of a new pipeline from an additional, nearby, natural mineral water source. The Rockhead spring at Cowdale Quarry in the village of Cowdale, was acquired by Nestlé Waters at the end of 2018. The source is being connected to the existing factory through a 4.6 km pipeline running underground from the source to the bottling facility on Waterswallows road on the outskirts of Buxton.
Both projects are designed to boost efficiency and optimise capacity at the site whilst creating opportunities for growth in a sustainable way into the future. This will be achieved through careful management of the water sources, storage and transportation which will deliver a reduction in carbon emissions. It is expected that both projects will be completed in the spring of 2021.
Michel Beneventi, Managing Director for Nestlé Waters in the UK, said: “Our Buxton factory is already one of the most modern and efficient bottling facilities in the UK that is home to Buxton, Britain’s no 1 natural mineral water brand.
“I am really pleased to be making such a significant investment in the long-term future of our site, the largest since it was opened. Water is one of the healthiest ways to hydrate and with these developments, we are creating the opportunity to improve the efficiency of our operations even more and increase capacity in a careful and sustainable way. This is an important part of our journey to become carbon neutral by 2025.”
Bringing distribution in-house, with the investment in the new 14000 sq m facility, will significantly reduce the need for Nestlé Waters products to be transported from the Buxton bottling plant to external warehouses by road. It is estimated that the new investment will cut CO2 emissions by around 480T every year based on current volumes.
Meanwhile, the development of the Rockhead water source comes with a comprehensive land management plan. Nestlé Waters UK are working with the local community and The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to ensure local wildlife and ecology at the spring and surrounding area is protected during the construction of the pipeline and for generations to come.
Hayley Lloyd House, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability for Nestlé Waters UK, said: “Nestlé Waters is a major employer in this local area and those who work here are part of the local community. As a team, we are very proud to be in Buxton and it is crucial that we protect and care for this beautiful area and landscape at Cowdale. In turn, caring for this water source long into the future and I hope we will be considered as an asset for the town.
“This investment further cements our long-term partnership with the Buxton community and shines the spotlight on our sustainable operational improvements as we strive to become carbon neutral by 2025.”
The Buxton factory was opened in 2012 and designed with sustainability in mind. The site features a heat recovery system, sends zero waste to landfill and 100% of the site’s grid supplied electricity is renewable.
