(Stevens Point, WI) – Stevens Point Brewery will add a second shift in its packaging department this summer to keep pace with its increased brewing and steadily growing sales, especially in its core Wisconsin markets.
The new shift on the brewery’s bottle and can lines means at least five new jobs with a flexible work schedule based on volume and production needs, which have recently increased. Earlier this spring the Stevens Point Brewery completed an expansion that included nine new fermentation tanks, two new bright beer tanks and other equipment that enables it to brew 120,000 barrels of beer annually.
It was the third expansion project in the last three years at the brewery, which enjoyed double-digit sales growth for its handcrafted specialty beers in each of those years.
“Our recent expansion significantly increased our brewing capacity and if we brew more beer, we obviously need to package more beer,” said Joe Martino, Stevens Point Brewery Managing Partner. “We know we are going to have a very busy summer, so the time is right to expand our packaging operations with a second shift for the first time in our brewery’s 155-year history.”
Point Beers Support Wisconsin’s Economy Doing its part to help grow Wisconsin’s economy, the Stevens Point Brewery has created new jobs each year for the past three years. In addition to the planned second shift in packaging, the brewery hired a new Brewery Operator this spring. In 2010 and 2011 it hired two new Sales Managers, a Logistics Manager, a Brewery Operator and a full-time Lab Technician. Creating new jobs is not the only way the Stevens Point Brewery contributes to Wisconsin’s economic growth.
“In addition to the new jobs we’ve been able to create, our capital expenditures for the recent expansions represent a significant investment that benefits Wisconsin businesses,” Martino explained. “In the past three years we have invested $2.1 million for new equipment and additional warehouse space, and the lion’s share of that money went to local Wisconsin companies. We also spend more than $1.5 million each year on Wisconsin-based raw materials and packaging suppliers to support our normal operations.”
Meanwhile the demand for Point shows no signs of slowing down.
“Our brewery will continue to grow and prosper and that’s good news for Wisconsin.”
About:
The Stevens Point Brewery Stevens Point Brewery, founded in 1857, uses only the highest-grade barley malts, specialty malts, grains and the choicest hops to brew their handcrafted beers, including flagship Point Special Lager, which won the gold medal in the American Premium Lager category at the 2003 Great American Beer Festival.
Point’s year-round specialty beers include Point 2012 Black Ale, a robust dark ale; Point Belgian White, a Belgian-style wheat ale flavored with orange peel and coriander; Point Burly Brown American Brown Ale, an American-style brown ale; Point Cascade Pale Ale, a hoppy American-style pale ale brewed with Cascade hops from the Yakima Valley; Point Amber Classic, an American-style amber lager; and Point Drop Dead Blonde Ale, a golden ale.
Seasonal specialty brands include Point Nude Beach Summer Wheat, an award-winning unfiltered wheat ale; Point Oktoberfest, a Bavarian-style Märzen beer for the fall; Point St. Benedict’s Winter Ale, a dark, abbey-style ale available from November through February; and Point Three Kings Ale, a Kölsch-style beer, for the spring. Point’s specialty beers also include the Whole Hog Limited Edition Brewmaster’s Series, “big beers” that represent the epitome of the brewmaster’s art, including year-round Whole Hog Six-Hop India Pale Ale, and seasonal offerings, Whole Hog Barley Wine-Style Ale, Whole Hog Raspberry Saison, Whole Hog Russian Imperial Stout and Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale. Gourmet soft drinks from the Stevens Point Brewery include Point Premium Root Beer, Point Premium Diet Root Beer, Point Premium Orange Cream, Point Premium Vanilla Cream and Point Premium Black Cherry Cream Soda.
For more information about the Stevens Point Brewery, visit www.pointbeer.com or call 1-800-369-4911. Tours of the brewery are available, with schedules listed on the web site www.pointbeer.com.
