Frucor plans to hire 160 at new Ipswich factory opening in 2024

Frucor Suntory intends to open a new multi-beverage factory at a greenfield site in Ipswich’s New-Gen Business Park (NGBP) in 2024, and expects it to create 160 operational jobs and have capacity to produce 20 million cases of drinks annually.

The Japanese-owned beverage giant said the new site would include drink processing, packaging, warehousing and distribution. The proposed site at Swanbank is six kilometres from the CBD and close to the state’s southeast arterial road network.

“Pending approvals, we’re planning to start early work construction in the third quarter of this year and commence operations in mid-2024,” said CEO Darren Fullerton in a statement on Wednesday.

“Building on our strong manufacturing capabilities in New Zealand, this investment in Queensland recognises the growth trajectory we believe is possible for our business.”

Without giving details, a statement from treasurer Cameron Dick said the “incredible coup” was encouraged through support from the state government and that the treasury investment team had gone “above and beyond” to attract investment in the $400 million-plus site. The Queensland government said it beat “offers from other states and other countries” to attract the investment.

“Our skilled workforce, readily available industrial land with quality logistics access and the Queensland lifestyle make us a destination of choice for heavy manufacturing projects,” said Dick.

“This factory will have the immediate capability to produce up to 20 million cases of drinks each year, with the ability to be significantly scaled up in the future.”

Frucor employs over 40,000 globally. Its brands in Australia include V, Maximus, Rockstar and Up & Go.

Picture: voicebrandagency.com

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