Anheuser-Busch expands production capacity

According to Industrialinfo.com, the American brewing group Anheuser-Busch Inc. has begun a multi-million dollar expansion at their Fort Collins, Colorado brewery. Plans call for a 28 per cent increase in brewing and packaging capacity through the addition of brew kettles, mash & lauter vessels, a 100,000 sq-ft warehouse addition and a packaging area modernisation. The expansion should be completed in 2004, and by then, production should amount to over 8.2 million barrels of beer annually at the Fort Collins site. The additional capacity will also create 35 new jobs at the brewery that already employs over 750 people. Plant Manager Glenn Wilson said, "The reason we do it is because sales are up. We need to find a way to meet demand and expanding the Fort Collins plant will help keep the company on track with those goals."​ Anheuser-Busch has 12 breweries across the US and had sales last year of over $12.3bn. Anheuser-Busch holds a 49 per cent market share and produces over 30 different kinds of beer. Along with brewing operations, they also have an agricultural division, canning & packaging material plants, recycling facilities and operate nine entertainment parks across the US.