Isle of Barra Distillers enhances production with advanced bottling line

Revolutionary Installation

Isle of Barra Distillers, under the leadership of Managing Director Michael Morrison, has recently upgraded its bottling operations with a state-of-the-art machine capable of washing, filling, capping, and labeling spirits like whisky, rum, vodka, and gin.

The distillery has taken a significant leap from manual processes to advanced automation with the installation of a rotary Rinser/Filler/Corker triblock in a 9/10/1 configuration, complete with sophisticated loading and unloading tables.

High-Efficiency Labelling

To complement the filling system, a new labelling unit has been installed, capable of applying precise front and back labels oriented by the bottle’s base registration notch. This addition ensures each label is perfectly positioned, enhancing the packaging's overall quality and consistency.

Capacity Boost

The new spirits packaging line dramatically increases efficiency, enabling the automatic filling of up to 1,500 bottles per hour with just two operators. This enhancement not only meets the current high demand for Isle of Barra Distillers' products in Scotland, the UK, and abroad but also sets the stage for future growth.

Strategic Design and Installation

Despite space limitations at the existing bottling site, IC Filling Systems successfully designed a production layout tailored to the distillery's specific needs. The precision in planning was highlighted during the delivery of the main bottling triblock, which was navigated through a doorway with a mere 10mm clearance!

Community and Expansion

Looking forward, Isle of Barra Distillers is actively raising funds for a new £8m Whisky & Gin Distillery and Visitor Centre, aiming for a production capacity of 200,000 litres of pure alcohol annually. This initiative will not only generate significant employment—creating at least 40 jobs on the island—but also boost tourism within the Outer Hebrides and beyond.

Giving Back to Barra

In addition to their expansion plans, founders Michael and Katie Morrison have established the Isle of Barra Whisky Distillers Foundation. The foundation pledges to donate 1% of net profits back to the local community. Furthermore, by the time their 10-year-old Malt Whisky is released, they aim to have constructed six affordable homes for the Foundation to sell at cost to young families, addressing the critical housing shortage on the Island of Barra.

• Isle of Barra Distillers website: https://isleofbarradistillers.com/