Malt giant brews up expansion boost

A Northumberland-based malt producer is ramping up production following two major investments at its flagship site.

Simpsons Malt Limited has increased annual malting capacity at its Tweed Valley Maltings in Berwick-upon-Tweed by 15,000 tonnes after installing a new germination and kilning vessel (GKV). 

The £10 million project takes total site capacity to 260,000 tonnes a year, with 90 per cent of output bound for the distilling sector.

The firm has also invested £6 million in a peated malt production plant with capacity for 25,000 tonnes annually. 

Both developments contribute significantly to the company’s sustainability goals. 

The site’s Energy Centre, which powers the kilning process using three biomass boilers and a 12MW electric boiler fuelled by surplus wind energy, has reduced emissions from kilning by up to 90 per cent. 

Meanwhile, the new peated malt plant incorporates advanced air centrifuge technology to capture and reduce particulate emissions during production, cutting overall emissions from that facility by up to 90 per cent as well. 

Tim McCreath, managing director at Simpsons Malt Limited, said: “We are delighted to have increased malting capacity at our Tweed Valley Maltings with the construction of a new GKV and peated malt production plant.

“Investing regularly in our infrastructure is a key strategic and operational priority of our fifth-generation, family business, helping us to drive the quality, consistency and sustainability of our products and processes.

“In recent months, it has been fantastic to welcome many distillers to our Tweed Valley Maltings, where they have been able to witness not only the investments that have been made with the new GKV, but other projects including our Energy Centre development and the construction of ten new malt storage silos.”

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