The continued growth in demand for real ale and specialist beers has been a boon for Shropshire manufacturer, Fabdec, with a steady increase in brewery sales throughout 2017. In the last few months, Fabdec has produced stainless steel tanks and vessels for microbreweries across the UK, including Aston Manor, Hedgedog, Brightside, Kite and The Friday Beer Co. Sales within Fabdec’s brewery division in the first six months of 2017 have doubled that of the same period for 2016. Chris Powell, Managing Director of Fabdec, says the increase in microbreweries and micropubs is particularly welcome given the continuing decline of traditional pubs. He said: “The appetite for craft beers and ales has definitely grown over the past year or so, along with that the number of independent and innovative breweries and micropubs. Given that around 20 pubs a week are closing nationwide, this is a real ray of light for the brewery and pub industry. “The companies that we work with share a passion for quality and we are proud that they trust us to deliver first-rate products, often designed specifically for their needs. It is great to see independent brewing undergoing something of a renaissance, with breweries willing to make a significant investment in their operations to create distinctive beers.” Based in Ellesmere, Shropshire for more than 65 years, Fabdec is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of heating, cooling, storage and processing vessels. For the brewery division, this includes mash tuns, wort ‘copper’ kettles, fermentation vessels, heat exchangers and conditioning tanks. These tanks can be made to order from 5 BBL up to 35 BBL – the equivalent of more than 10,000 pints. Gerald Williams, Director of Malvern- based Friday Beer Company, said: “As our brewery has grown we have scaled up the size of our tanks to meet the new demand. Fabdec has been with us on this journey and have helped and advised us all along the way. Their technical support and knowledge has been invaluable and the quality and value for money of their tanks is unmatched.” Fabdec has also produced equipment for breweries including Spire, Hadham, Highgate Davenport, Penpont, Great Orme and Cwrw Llyn. Following major investment in machinery and engineering last year – and with a highly skilled workforce – Fabdec is currently exploring opportunities to expand its steel fabrication work into other sectors, including soft drinks. Chris Powell added: “For Fabdec, 2017 continues to be a strong year for growth and we are pleased that our brand is now recognised in the US and other foreign markets. Britain should be proud of its manufacturing heritage, and exporting remains a key target for us.” 18 BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS Independent brewery growth is good news for Fabdec News PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT Dixon has launched a new compact impact-resistant sight glass. The sight glass is used widely in beverage hygienic processes to view products and fluids. This design is perfect for hoses and high traffic areas due to its Lexan™ glass and a stainless steel body construction. Ideal for arduous applica- tions, heavy manual handling, high traffic and high activity areas to provide site added protection and asset security. The sights are claimed to be easier to clean and less cost to repair than bolted styles. Sizes available include 1", 1½", 2", 3" & 4”. Maximum temperature of 200°F (93°C) and a maximum pressure of 100 PSI (6.9 bar). The sight glass is available as one of the many hygienic hose fittings comple- mentary to Dixon’s extensive hygienic hose range. This now includes Heat Traced, Hot Water Thermal and Duplex hose assemblies as part of the standard range along with a range of rubber, silicone, PVC and PTFE hose assemblies which can be custom-made to exact requirements, with accessories including wash down guns and steam lances. www.dixoneurope.co.uk For more information visit: www.fabdec.com For more information visit: Dixon launches impact-resistant sight glass 18_Layout 1 13/08/2017 08:32 Page 1