Turnover up 17% at Ballymena bottling plant Norbev

The firm, which has been operating since 1919, said turnover was sustained during the period up to December 2021 due to ongoing contracts.

Norbev provides bottling and labelling services for some of the biggest drink brands in Northern Ireland including Robinsons, Monster and Britvic.

Pre-tax profits increased from a loss of £0.65m in 2020 to £301,396 in 2021. The company’s net assets also grew from £3.22m in 2020 to £3.66m.

The company received £121,178 in government grants, down from 2020’s heftier £346,037 which could be attributed to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Staff at the company decreased during the financial period, from 90 to 86.

This saw Norbev’s wages and salaries over the period also decrease from £2.99m to £2.78m.

Norbev was set up in 1919 when it washed, labelled and corked glass bottles by hand at an old laundry business.

It moved to its current site on Ballymena’s Railway Street in 1961 and welcomed its first bottling contract with Coca Cola in the early 70s.

Today it bottles drinks for many recognised brands as well being involved in the production of drinks.

The company is headed by directors James Harkness and Shona Jane Blythe.