TURNOVER rose at Ballymena drinks’ bottling firm Norbev by 17 per cent to £24.4 million according to its latest financial report.
The firm, which has been operating since 1919, said turnover was sustained during the period up to December 2021 was due to ongoing contracts.
Norbev provides bottling and labelling services for some of the biggest drink brands here including Robinsons, Monster and Britvic.
The rest of the financial statement was similarly buoyant with pre-tax profits increasing 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.
Over the years it has attracted many high profile contracts including being the chosen UK producer of Hollywood actor Will Smith’s Just Water brand.
Just Water, which was founded by Smith and son Jaden, was launched to help combat ocean plastic pollution.
The company is headed by directors James Harkness and Shona Jane Blythe.
