Okahandja plant in business
Celebrating the new SABMiller bottling run are from the left, Bogart Butler, Technical Manager, Cobus Bruwer, Managing Director SABMiller Namibia, and Wally Tollemache, the construction Project Manager. The elated trio hold the very first batch of Carling Black Label produced in Namibia.
Technical Manager of the plant, Bogart Butler said: “Today’s start is part of our Brewery Ramp-Up Plan that will eventually see the brewery bottle more than 12,000 bottles per hour. This is an exciting time and we hope to commence full-scale operations soon.”
Managing Director of SABMiller Namibia, Cobus Bruwer said, “At SABMiller Namibia, we believe the most effective way to fulfill our responsibilities is to maximise the success of our business, in short, good business is good for development. This brewery is an example of us delivering on the promises that we made to the community and to the Government of Namibia that our beer will be brewed, bottled and consumed locally.”
According to Bruwer, one of SABMiller’s top priorities is sustainable development and the start of production at the brewery within the allocated timeframe shows the commitment of the world-class brewer to develop opportunities like this within Namibia.
The brand new bottling plant consists of an intricate line of various automated systems ensuring exceptional quality control and hygiene.
“From the moment that the de-palletizer loads bottles onto the line, through the sterilization process, bottle scanner and actual filling, labelling and packing, the system employs the latest technology to ensure that every unit is filled, sealed and delivered to international standards,” said the brewery Packaging Manager, Christian Tors.
Another Namibian first at the brewery is that flash-pasteurization takes place before filling of the bottles. According to Butler, it is a first, even for SABMiller and makes this one of only a handful of breweries around the world that employs this technology.
