Wakefield Council has received plans for the installation of four Nitrous Oxide tanks, along with a Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) containerised generation plant, at the existing facility located on Kenmore Road. This initiative aims to modernize the existing infrastructure in the food manufacturing sector.
The new tanks will differ in height, ranging from 3.7 to 7.4 meters. Meanwhile, the containerised generation plant will cover an impressive footprint, measuring 50.4 meters in length, 37 meters in width, and standing at a height of 35.6 meters. Additionally, a pipe gantry will be introduced to support the pipework over the site circulation road, maintaining a clearance of 5.4 meters to the underside.
Reduce Deliveries
In a statement accompanying the planning application, CCEP emphasized: “As part of the manufacturing process, CCEP use Nitrogen which is delivered by tankers to the site from external suppliers. The proposed Nitrogen generation plant will reduce the number of deliveries, with obvious environmental and cost benefits.”
“The proposed plant will incorporate sophisticated systems for the detection and warning of Nitrogen leaks.”
In November, CCEP announced a substantial investment of £42.3 million into a new automated storage retrieval system warehouse at its Wakefield site, further demonstrating its commitment to innovation in food manufacturing.
Wakefield Investment
This advanced system is expected to enable the facility to accommodate an additional 29,500 pallets, beyond its existing capacity of 29,000. Furthermore, it will significantly decrease the number of vehicle journeys by 19,500 annually, which equates to a reduction of 441,000 kilometers each year.
Since 2019, the site has benefitted from over £103 million in investments aimed at improving efficiency and promoting sustainable practices. The Wakefield plant, a key player in bottling Coca Cola, Fanta, and Monster, employs 550 staff members, highlighting its significance in the local economy.
Meanwhile, Dawn Meats has made its own strides in sustainability by investing €1.5 million (£1.27 million) in a newly completed solar panel project at its Grannagh production facility in County Waterford.
The energy generated by this new solar facility is projected to power 210 homes for an entire year, with an anticipated return on investment within 4.5 years, contingent upon future electricity unit price fluctuations.
