Baldwinsville–area plant to benefit from Anheuser-Busch investment

LYSANDER — Anheuser-Busch plans to invest $4.5 million in its Baldwinsville–area plant, part of an overall $1.5 billion investment in the firm’s U.S. brewing, agriculture, packaging, and distributing operations by 2018.

 

The facility, located on Route 31 in the town of Lysander, will use the $4.5 million to increase “capabilities required to deliver” some Anheuser-Busch products, including the new Mixxtails and the new Bud Light Lime bottle, the company said in a June 23 email to CNYBJ. 

 

“It’s critically important to invest in new capabilities that enhance our operations at the Baldwinsville brewery, because that ultimately allows us to sustain the hundreds of jobs we provide locally. Our employees work hard to produce the beers our customers demand and projects like this demonstrate our commitment to them and our local stakeholders,” Nick Mills, general manager of the Anheuser-Busch Baldwinsville brewery, said in the firm’s email response.

 

As the company describes it, the new 11.5-ounce Mixxtails aluminum bottle is “slimmer” and includes a “unique” twist-off closure cap. It also said Bud Light Lime “was revitalized” with a new, embossed bottle that the company released in early May.

 

In its $1.5 billion investment, Anheuser-Busch plans to spend an estimated $850 million on brewery and packaging-expansion projects; $220 million on product-innovation initiatives; and $720 million in “sustaining and increasing efficiency of its existing footprint,” according to a June 23 news release posted on the Anheuser-Busch website.

 

Hochul tours plant

The corporate headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri is noticing the work at the Baldwinsville plant, New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul contends. 

 

“Having $4.5 million of [the $1.5 billion investment] come right here in Baldwinsville is a significant statement that [the company believes] that this is a well run facility and has top-notch leadership and employees,” said Hochul.

 

She spoke to reporters following a tour of the plant on July 6.

 

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has asked Hochul to visit businesses around upstate New York that have benefited from state investments.

 

Empire State Development had awarded a $900,000 state grant that leveraged a $7.6 million expansion of the Baldwinsville plant that Anheuser-Busch announced in November, 2011.

 

The Baldwinsville–area plant “is now up to 655 employees, which is significant, and they’re becoming a real signature operation in the 12 breweries that are owned by Anheuser-Busch across the country,” said Hochul.  

 

Since 2011, Anheuser-Busch has invested $75 million in the Baldwinsville brewery to “add new capabilities, increase efficiencies and sustain existing operations,” the company said in its email response.

 

Anheuser-Busch acquired the plant in 1980.

 

Anheuser-Busch is the U.S. arm of Anheuser-Busch InBev and operates 16 local breweries, 17 distributorships and 23 agricultural and packaging facilities across the U.S., representing a capital investment of more than $15.9 billion, according to the company’s online news release. 

 

Its flagship brewery remains in St. Louis,  Anheuser-Busch said.