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Kieran Stack, plant manager, Britvic Ireland Newcastle West (3rd left) pictured at the Mid-West Lean Network event with (from left): Robert Hernan, senior lean advisor, Enterprise Ireland; Helen Downes, CEO, Shannon Chamber and Trish Fuery, Ray Murphy and Rakshith Rakshith, Britvic Ireland Newcastle West. 

A recent visit by Shannon Chamber’s Mid-West Lean Network to Britvic Ireland’s Newcastle West facility showcased how a strong focus on continuous improvement and innovation is delivering measurable transformation.

With the executive leadership team sponsoring lean and operational excellence, and monthly steering meetings in place, attendees learned how the company is reaping tangible results from its lean journey. Among the highlights were:

• Changeover time reduced by 45% based on continuous improvement and ways of working
• Water usage ratio improved to 1.4
• Availability increased by 18%
• Process Uptime increased by 6%
• Case counter improved by 8% per shift

These improvements stem from a culture of full employee involvement, cross-team engagement, and strong leadership presence. Recruitment and onboarding are also tailored to embed lean thinking from the outset.

Britvic actively participates in lean networks and encourages site visits to support knowledge sharing and best practice exchange.

Commenting on the visit, Shannon Chamber CEO Helen Downes said: “It was motivating to see how the company culture of improvement and innovation is driving tangible results. It was a great few hours of learning and knowledge sharing, time well spent.”

Looking ahead, Britvic will play a key role in Shannon Chamber’s Sustainability Week, hosting a seminar and site tour on Tuesday, 23 September. The event will explore:

• Decarbonisation of the Newcastle West site
• Packaging circularity, legislation, and impact reduction
• On-site biodiversity, heritage, and nature initiatives

Bookings for this visit can be made at: www.shannonchamber.ie/events/site-tour-harnessing-the-power-of-irelands-natural-resources/