Further expansion at Skinner's

l Set to grow: the workforce at Skinner's

January 31, 2008: Skinner's Brewery, in Cornwall, will gain a 20% increase in production capacity as part of a £250,000 development programme.

The installation of another 100-barrel fermenter this spring will raise the brewery's weekly capacity to 68,000 litres.

The company is also investing in eco-friendly new brewing equipment, designed to reduce energy consumption by at least 10%, and expanding its delivery fleet with another van.

Skinner's has recruited two more employees to take its workforce up to 30 for the first time in its 11-year history, and has also launched an online shop and an expanded range of drinks and related products for sale over the internet as part of new website.

“We are looking to double our capacity over the next three years, with more new jobs in the pipeline,” said managing director Steve Skinner.

“In 2007 — our tenth anniversary year — we enjoyed sales increases of up to 20% on our cask ales and 40% on bottles. It was a struggle at times to cope with demand, and there is every indication that our business volumes will continue to grow quite substantially.”

The new website, is highly animated and designed to be very accessible to all visitors to the site, including blind and other disabled people. As well as offering all Skinners’ beers, lager and cider in any quantities, the on-line shop also features Cornish food products, clothes and other souvenir items – of its own and from other suppliers - and the company is currently geared to deliver anywhere in the UK, Ireland and Channel Islands.