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Diageo’s Speyside expansion plans will see a £9.5 million upgrade of its bio-plant at Dailuaine |
UK. Speyside is to be the focus of new proposals by Diageo to grow its Scotch whisky production capacity, the drinks group has revealed. A planning application has been submitted to Moray Council to redevelop Diageo’s Dailuaine distillery complex in Speyside, and consultation with local residents will begin this week.
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Diageo aims to increase production capacity at existing distilleries by over 10 million litres per annum |
If approved, the plans would see a £9.5 million upgrade of the bio-plant at Dailuaine, which handles whisky by-products from a number of Diageo’s distilleries, paving the way for production capacity increases across Speyside.
Diageo is also developing a series of proposals which would see production capacity increased at existing distilleries by over 10 million litres per annum over the next two to three years, with an investment of around £10 million.
The Speyside region is home to 17 of Diageo’s 28 malt whisky distilleries in Scotland. Diageo has invested heavily in the region with the opening of the Roseisle distillery last year – the first major malt whisky distillery to be built in Scotland for more than 30 years, at a cost of £40 million.
Announcing the plans, Diageo Malt Distilling Director Brian Higgs said: “Scotch whisky has never been more popular around the world. In recent years we have been able to translate that into significant capital investments in our operations as we build our capacity to meet the global growth potential of Scotch. Speyside is already at the heart of our malt distilling operations and I am delighted that, beginning with the Dailuaine proposal, we are looking at further enhancing our business in this area.”
Diageo Scotland Managing Director Bryan Donaghey added: “Over the past six financial years Diageo has invested around £600 million in its business in Scotland, including our new £40 million distillery at Roseisle in Speyside which we opened last year. This announcement is another demonstration of our confidence in and commitment to the future of Scotland and Scotch.”
Diageo is also investing outside of the Speyside area. This year will also see £3.2 million capital investment in increasing capacity at the Glen Ord distillery near Inverness.
Earlier this year, Diageo announced a £3.5 million investment in increasing capacity at its Caol Ila distillery in Islay.
Diageo’s announcement was welcomed by Moray Council representatives as a boost for the local economy.
Councillor Graham Leadbitter said: “With major investment at Roseisle, Rothes and now further investment planned in Speyside, the whisky industry is bucking the trend. The continued success of the whisky sector is critical to Moray’s economic recovery and future growth. Investment like this does not just create new jobs but also supports the construction and manufacturing sectors.”
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The Speyside region is home to 17 of Diageo’s 28 malt whisky distilleries in Scotland |
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