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Artisanal Spirits Company launches £2.5m cask storage and bottling plant
The Artisanal Spirits Company, owner of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, has formally launched a £2.5 million cask storage and bottling plant, marking what the company called a “real step change” in its supply chain performance.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — the largest whisky club in the world — is set to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2023. Parent company Artisanal Spirits has just announced the official launch of its new multi-purpose supply chain facility.
The Masterton Bond facility is located in Scotland’s Central Belt, adjacent to the main M8 motorway linking the country’s two largest cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Production has increased exponentially since the facility became operational, the company has said. The plant will also provide cask storage, fulfilment and distribution of the group’s whisky and other spirit products. As well as the SMWS, the group also owns J.G.Thomson & Co, producer of a range of small batch blended malt whiskies, grain whiskies, rum and gin.
The supply chain facility also benefits Artisanal Spirits Company in reducing its carbon footprint, contributing to a significant reduction in the number of road miles involved in the manufacture and supply of the Group’s products.
The group signed a 10-year lease on the facility in October 2021. Andrew Dane, Artisanal Spirits Company CEO, was joined by Chairman Mark Hunter to declare the £2.5m Masterton Bond bottling plant officially open.
Dane said he was looking forward to the company’s new era of “providing more whisky than ever before to our membership worldwide”.
Dane noted that the Masterton Bond facility is in line with Artisanal Spirits Company’s “long-term business plan, utilising funds raised from our IPO in 2021, to evolve our cask storage and bottling requirements”.
The new facility reduces the group’s dependence on third party bottlers for production, storage, fulfilment and distribution.
“This improvement to our capacity for bottling marks a real milestone for our supply chain efficiency and performance. We are forecasting an improvement to margin as well as a higher volume of bottle production,” Dane added.