BOTTLING / FILLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 11/22 www.petpla.net 16 Ishka - Ireland’s fresh spring water “All the bottles that leave our production plants are 100% recyclable” In Ballyneety, County Limerick, the luscious green, rolling landscape of the beautiful Irish countryside is the backdrop to one of the most modern bottling plants of spring water in Europe: Ishka Irish Spring Water. The company, founded in 1978 by Michael Sutton Sr. thanks to a brilliant family idea, is today a multimillion-euro company managed by Mike and Denis Sutton, sons of the founder. Every hour the plant, consisting of four fully automated lines built in partnership with SMI, produces over 40,000 bottles of spring water, with the utmost attention paid to the care and preservation of the surrounding environment. FILLING PETplanet: When and why did Ishka start bottling water? Sutton: Ishka Irish Spring Water is a family business founded in 1978 by our father Michael. Our mother, who was a great Irish speaker, invented the phonics for the trademark. The company, located in Ballyneety in County Limerick, occupies a production site of 11-acres and is one of the most modern facilities in Europe, where product innovation, production efficiency and sustainable development have been the order of the day since the beginning. In 2012, after major investments to make the site safe, we started producing bottles in PET on site, a goal that our father had always dreamed of, however, he unfortunately passed away only a few months before the start of the new business. About 60% of the water bottled in our factory, is destined for various private labels distributed in the main Irish supermarkets, while the remaining 40% concerns bottles marketed under the Ishka brand. PETplanet: In general, what position does Ishka water hold compared to the others available on the market? Sutton: Ishka is known for being “Ireland’s freshest spring water”, as it is drawn from aquifers 200 meters underground and naturally filtered through the pristine, limestone bedrock of Ballyneety - hence the distinctive taste and product refreshment. Ishka was the first Irish spring water company on the market to introduce a 100% recycled PET bottle and the first to use tethered caps anchored to the bottle, three years before the EU Directive, that made them mandatory, came into force. PETplanet: Is this innovation continual? Sutton: Naturally! Innovation is a constant element of our business. Ishka is planning a new €11 million investment, to install a new highspeed rPET bottling line, capable of producing up to 36,000 bottles per hour, by early 2023. We will also install a new glass line for the catering and hospitality sector. The presence of a brand-new kitchen will also allow us to add flavourings and develop a new range of mixers and flavoured drinks. PETplanet: What are the main factors that convinced you to invest in a new plant supplied by SMI? Sutton: SMI offered us a unique solution for filling, transporting product on conveyor belts, secondary packaging and palletising, with the consequent optimisation of management costs and time for format changes. The line designed by our Italian partner, guarantees maximum production flexibility. Furthermore, the presence of a local SMI branch that assists us quickly and efficiently, is of great importance to us. Mike Sutton & Denis Sutton the owner of Ishka Spring Water
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