CHIVAS BROTHERS ANNOUNCES PLANS TO INVEST £40M IN WORLD CLASS FACILITY IN DUMBARTON

- Plans for a new plant, equipment and facilities in Dumbarton -

- Proposal to move Paisley-based operations to Kilmalid site by end of 2019 -

Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, has announced its intention to invest in a new state-of-the-art facility over the next three years at its Kilmalid site in Dumbarton.

Testament to the company’s firm commitment to Scotland, the £40 million investment will deliver a world-class operation with outstanding performance. 

Plans include a bottling hall and office set for completion by the end of 2019, which will be newly designed and purpose built, providing a more integrated and engaging environment for all Chivas Brothers employees.

The proposal is a response to an extensive review of the company’s current operations and would see the closure of the Paisley site in three years’ time. 

The transfer of activities from Paisley to Kilmalid is scheduled to start in 2018 and by the end of 2019 all Chivas Brothers employees based in Paisley would move over to work at the company’s Kilmalid site.

The new integrated operation will build on Chivas Brothers’ rich 80-year history in Dumbarton.

Laurent Lacassagne, Chairman & CEO at Chivas Brothers, said:

“Our proposal is the next step towards achieving our leadership ambition and is a clear signal that we see a strong future ahead for both the industry and our business. This £40 million investment will enhance and improve our operations and support the development of our global and iconic brands. 

“This is a project of significant size and scale for Chivas Brothers which is why which we are announcing our proposal three years in advance. We want to provide ample opportunity to manage the transition of our business effectively and for our employees to adjust and adapt to working from a new site.”

The company is at the beginning of a three year process and aims to start the transfer of operations and activities from Paisley to Kilmalid from 2018, creating an integrated operation by the end of 2019.

Damon Scott, Chief Executive, Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce, responded positively: “The chamber welcomes the plans of Chivas to expand their operational and production base in Dumbarton. Chivas are an important and long-standing company and employer in Dunbartonshire and an increase in investment and jobs at Kilmalid is a fantastic statement of intent of Chivas’s long term commitment to the area. The creation of another world class production facility continues to set Dunbartonshire out as an attractive business location following the £22 million development of the Aggreko plant nearby. This £40m investment will be a huge boost for the local economy creating and securing jobs well into the future.”