27.10.2009
Královský pivovar Krušovice a. s. wants to save up to 40% of water through investments in modern technologies. „Water is a key raw material used for brewing of beer. Approximately 90% of beer is formed by water, but this valuable raw material is also used during secondary procedures following the beer production. And we want to invest in these technologies in order to reduce water consumption. Water is rather valuable in this region and if we decided to build a new source, among others it would be very costly. So before we proceed to such step, first of all we would like to start saving more water,“ says Tomáš Kosmák, the brewery manager of Královský pivovar Krušovice a.s.
The investments won’t get to the procedure of beer brewing, but they are focused on the secondary processes and technologies, which the modern beer production cannot do without. It concerns especially the sanitation processes, such as washing and cleaning of beer bottles, bottling of beer, washing and disinfecting of brewing kettles, fermenting tanks and pipeline. Furthermore, it concerns for example cooling systems or plain washing of production unit surfaces, etc. According to Tomáš Kosmák the water savings should vary from 30 to 40% of the current water consumption.
The superior technological units will guarantee much lower necessary losses (the so-called extract losses) during the process of beer production caused for instance during transport of the product and its semi-finished products. The production will become significantly more efficient and also impact on the environment will be significantly lower, especially owing to reduction of waste water biological load.
In the line with these technologies the brewery modernization will affect the waste water treatment plant. Not only will be its capacity extended, but above all it will be equipped with new technologies providing higher quality of waste water. By this, more favourable values of waste water than values set by valid legislation will be ensured on a long-term basis.
Královský pivovar Krušovice will invest in these new technologies not only because of reduction of impacts on the environment, which are connected with almost every production plant. Another goal is streamlining of the production unit, decrease in cost of the production and also preparation for future increase of the brewery production capacity. The current production capacity gets around 1 million hectoliters per year and during the following years - after the reconstruction - it may increase by up to 30-40%.
Reconstruction of the brewery should take place especially in the year 2010; the last phase will be completed in 2011. The total investment is estimated at EUR 6-7 million.
Heineken is the third biggest brewing group in the world and European number one among the beer producers. In 2003, Starobrno a.s. became part of Heineken Czech Republic; the activities of the group expanded to Královský pivovar Krušovice, a. s. in 2007 and in half of 2008 the acquisition of Drinks Union a.s. was successfully completed. This year, Starobrno a.s. merged with Královský pivovar Krušovice a.s. At the present time, Heineken Czech Republic is the third strongest player in the domestic beer market and it ranks among the most important beer exporters.
Further information:
Ing. Kateřina Eliášová
Corporate Relations Manager
Heineken Česká republika
+420 543 516 324
+420 606 758 291
katerina.eliasova@heineken.com
