Highland Spring set to top up production

Bottled water firm Highland Spring Group said it has broken ground on a significant factory extension for a new production line at its Blackford site in Perthshire as part of plans to double production over the next year.

The firm said it is investing £16 million with a view to reaching this target, as the UK’S thirst for bottled water increases, with consumption reaching almost 3.3 billion litres last year.

Les Montgomery, chief executive of Highland Spring Group, said: “We have great confidence in the underlying strength of the category and our investment plans to drive long-term sustainable growth.”

Noting that the factory extension will boost capacity at the Blackford site by 50 per cent, he said that for the firm, 2016 “is set to be another year of double-digit growth”.

He added: “With increased capacity to deliver against demand, we will continue to be at the forefront of healthy hydration for UK consumers.”