New Belgium Brewing is pleased to announce it is breaking ground on a 16,000 sq. foot can line addition to its bottling hall. The new system, manufactured by KHS, will increase New Belgium’s canning volume capacity six fold. “Cans have been a great addition to the packaging portfolio for us,” said New Belgium spokesperson, Bryan Simpson. “We first introduced Fat Tire cans in 2008 and we’ve since added Sunshine Wheat and Ranger IPA. Sales have been ahead of projection and we’re fortunate to be able to accommodate demand.”
New Belgium’s current can line features a 9-head filler with a capacity of 60 cans per minute while the new system will feature a 40-head filler capable of filling 360 cans per minute. The system can package both 12-oz and 16-oz cans.
he addition itself will be constructed just east of New Belgium’s current bottling facility on the brewery’s fifty-acre campus in Fort Collins, CO. The building process should run through the end of the year with first beer off the line some time in January. Neenan Company of Fort Collins is contracted for construction.
