The enormity and scale of a 625,000ft2 factory complex under construction in Peterborough – which when complete will create 280 jobs – can be revealed.
American based metal can manufacturer Crown Holdings is building the factory within a 30-acre land parcel at Delta Park, Peterborough.
“Beverage cans are the world’s most sustainable and recycled beverage packaging option and are increasingly preferred by customers and consumers alike,” said a company spokesperson.
“A growing proportion of new beverages in the U.K. is being introduced in cans, and this new facility demonstrates Crown’s commitment to meeting expanding customer requirements.”
Construction on the Peterborough plant is expected to allow for production to commence later this year.
The company says additional lines are planned in a phased manner to reach over three billion units of annual capacity.
Delta Park will become Europe’s largest beverage can manufacturing facility and Crown Holding says it supports their growing customer requirements for sustainable beverage packaging options in the UK.
The site previously housed a manufacturing facility operated by pet food producer MARS Petcare that was demolished in 2014.
UK-based commercial developer Trebor Developments bought the site in 2020 together with its partner Hillwood, a US-based commercial real estate developer.
The site lies just 3.2km away from the city centre and about 4.8km from the A1.
The new facility will be built on a 625,000ft2 area in the park that Crown Holdings purchased from Trebor Developments for more than £150m in March 2022.
Crown Holdings secured the detailed planning consent for developing the new plant at Delta Park in February 2022.
Trebor Developments and Hillwood will make financial contributions for the expansion of 57km of protected roadside verges across the Peterborough City Council authority to enhance biodiversity as part of the project.
FACTFILE
Crown Holdings provides a range of aluminium and tinplate beverage cans to meet the requirements of beverage manufacturers and distribution channels.
The infinitely recyclable aluminium metal used for manufacturing beverage cans enables beverage manufacturers to meet their sustainability goals.
The beverage cans offered by the company are available in various volumes and diameters. The 53mm diameter cans are available in volumes ranging from 5.1 ounces (oz) to 8.3oz, while the 58mm diameter cans are available in volumes ranging from 7.5oz to 12.7oz.
The company also offers 66m diameter beverage cans that are available in volumes ranging from 8oz to 18.9oz. The products are available in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and the Central and South America regions.
Contractors involved
ISG, a UK-based construction company, is the main contractor for the project.
The commercial real estate team of independent law firm Clarkslegal served as an advisor to Crown Holdings on the purchase and redevelopment of the site in Peterborough.
Crown Holdings manufactures an extensive range of packaging products for various beverage and food applications. Some major products manufactured by the company are metal beverage cans and ends, aerosol cans, closures and capping, transit packaging, and metal food cans and ends.
The development of the Peterborough facility is part of the company’s plans to add 25 billion units of beverage can capacity between 2020 and 2023 to meet the growing beverage can demand.
Crown Holdings is building several other plants to increase beverage can capacity, including two new plants in the US in Virginia and Nevada. It is also building a new plant in Uberaba, Brazil, in addition to expanding its existing facilities in Cambodia, Spain and Italy.
The company’s annualised beverage can capacity is expected to exceed 100 billion units by 2023 globally.
