The Briggs of Burton and McMillan Coppersmiths teams attended drinktec, joining colleagues from across the CLPT Group, including Ziemann Holvrieka, Künzel, and DME, for a week of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and forward-looking discussions.

Over the course of drinktec, the teams met with a range of industry customers to discuss projects, technology solutions, and opportunities for collaboration, while also working closely across the CLPT Group to share expertise in dry goods handling, analytics, dealcoholisation, and engineering services, highlighting the strength of the collaborative approach.

It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with professionals from across the beverage industry, both locally and internationally. The teams had insightful discussions on future-proofing technologies and project capabilities, reinforcing BRIGGS’ commitment to supporting breweries, distilleries, and beverage production facilities worldwide.

Cheers!

We’re excited to officially announce our new partnership with ProLeiT, a leading provider of advanced process control technology. This formal agreement marks the next step in a collaborative relationship that has already delivered successful outcomes on multiple international projects across the brewing and distilling industries.

At its core, this partnership reflects a shared commitment to innovation, reliability, and smart engineering. By combining BRIGGS’ deep expertise in process automation and engineering with ProLeiT’s state-of-the-art control technology, we’re setting the stage for delivering intelligent, future-ready automation solutions to customers worldwide.

While the agreement is new, our teams have a proven track record of working together across complex, large-scale projects. This foundation means we’re ready to hit the ground running, with an aligned approach to delivering robust and efficient automation systems.

We look forward to what the future holds with ProLeiT and are confident that this partnership will bring long-term value to our customers and the wider industry.

Find out more BRIGGS’ In-House automation services.

On Thursday, 10th April 2025, we were delighted to host the Annual Joint Chartered Institute of Brewing and Distilling (CIBD) / Brewing, Food & Beverage Industry (BFBi) Engineering Symposium at our Global Technical Centre in Burton upon Trent.

The symposium brought together a wide-ranging group of professionals from across the brewing and distilling industries to examine the vital engineering principles that underpin brewery development. It was a fantastic opportunity to exchange knowledge, network with industry peers, and showcase innovation within the sector.

Highlights from the Day

The event featured a series of expert-led presentations, each offering valuable insight into a key area of engineering within brewing and distilling:

• John Round (CIBD) explored the Requirements for Materials of Construction in Breweries
• Martyn Ralph (Brewing Engineers Association) presented on CO₂ Recovery Plant for Small & Craft Brewers
• James Doran (NIRAS) discussed Energy Efficiencies Within the Brewhouse
• Andrew Mieleniewski, Head of Technical Sales at Briggs of Burton PLC, introduced the benefits of our own BRIGGS Thermodrive, focused on electrifying drinks production and driving efficiency

Each session prompted thoughtful discussion, and it was clear the audience appreciated both the technical depth and the practical insights on offer.

Networking and Industry Exchange

In addition to the presentations, the day included an open Q&A session, a buffet lunch, and the chance to continue conversations informally in some of Burton’s historic pubs — a fitting end to a day dedicated to brewing and distilling innovation.

Thank You

A huge thank you to all who attended, participated, and contributed to the success of the event. We’re proud to support knowledge sharing and collaboration within the industry, and we look forward to hosting similar events in the future.

On Wednesday, March 19th, we organized a successful litter-picking initiative in collaboration with Molson Coors Brewing Company (MCBC). Our dedicated team made a noticeable difference in the cleanliness of the shared boundary near the railway in Burton-on-Trent.

This initiative not only improved the local environment but also strengthened our community ties and demonstrated our commitment to sustainability.

About Briggs of Burton

If you have eaten or drunk it there is a chance that Briggs of Burton has helped to produce it.

Briggs are the engineers behind supplying the equipment, engineering and automation to the world’s largest food, alcoholic beverage, and pharmaceutical manufacturers

Today, BRIGGS employs over 300 colleagues across six sites in the UK, Scotland, USA, Mexico, China, and Australia. The team deliver turnkey engineering projects for leading household brands covering North America, Europe, Central America, Africa, Australia, and Asia. Briggs’ benefits from a global network of stainless-steel manufacturing facilities, including their own located in Burton on Trent and Prestonpans, Scotland.

Briggs is actively developing sustainable engineering solutions, focusing on their customer’s requirements towards carbon neutrality.

Our team, alongside colleagues from Ziemann Holvrieka, had a productive and engaging time at Drink JAPAN.

The event was a great opportunity to meet with customers and project partners from the Beer, Distilled Spirits, and Beverage industries in Japan. We discussed practical solutions for designing, engineering, and constructing facilities with a focus on safety, efficiency, and sustainability.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to share insights and explore ideas. We’re excited to build on the conversations we had and continue supporting the industry with tailored project solutions.

About Briggs of Burton

If you have eaten or drunk it there is a chance that Briggs of Burton has helped to produce it.

Briggs are the engineers behind supplying the equipment, engineering and automation to the world’s largest food, alcoholic beverage, and pharmaceutical manufacturers

Today Briggs employs over 300 colleagues across six sites in the UK, Scotland, USA, Mexico, China, and Australia. The team deliver turnkey engineering projects for leading household brands covering North America, Europe, Central America, Africa, Australia, and Asia. Briggs’ benefits from a global network of stainless-steel manufacturing facilities, including their own located in Burton on Trent and Prestonpans, Scotland.

Briggs is actively developing sustainable engineering solutions, focusing on their customer’s requirements towards carbon neutrality.

The BRIGGS team recently welcomed a group of whisky industry professionals – from local producers to large-scale operators – to our office in Forres, Scotland, for our event, Malt Whisky: Sustainable Solutions Towards Net Zero.

Key speakers included Dr Ben Connolly and Rebecca Hooper from the team Briggs of Burton team, alongside Martin McAdam from Ardgowan Distillery Company Limited, who shared valuable insights into practical and innovative ways to advance sustainability in the scotch malt whisky sector. A special thank you to Eleanor Bradford for chairing the event and guiding the discussions.

Key highlights included:
– In-depth discussions on BRIGGS ThermoDrive, our Mechanical Vapour Recompression (MVR) technology.
– Showcasing solutions to maximise energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprints.
– Engaging conversations about the path towards a greener, more efficient future for the industry.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to the discussions.

For those who couldn’t attend, you can learn more about BRIGGS’ sustainable innovations for malt whisky distilleries here.

You can register your interest for future events here.

A major milestone has been reached for McMillan Coppersmiths and Fabricators, as two handcrafted copper whisky stills – a wash still and a spirit still – embarked on their journey to Ardgowan Distillery, currently under construction in Inverkip, Scotland.

These traditional copper stills, crafted using techniques dating back to the 1800s, will soon form the heart of Ardgowan’s distilling operations. The project represents a collaborative effort, with teams from BRIGGS and McMillan playing pivotal roles in the design, engineering, and build of the new distillery.

The moment was captured by The Edinburgh Reporter, celebrating this essential step in the distillery’s progress. Further updates on the project’s development will be shared as it continues to take shape.

John McIntosh, McMillan Coppersmith’s Global Projects Director, explained the TVR process which is key which improves the efficiency of the distillation process. He said: “Thermal Vapour Recompression uses the energy we have used before – capturing that, enhancing that and using it again so that it is not lost. Traditionally we had energy used once and then dispelled into the atmosphere. Here we capture it from our heat energy, process it to make our processes more efficient. There is a capital investment in the beginning but that certainly comes with a payback and the end users do benefit from it.”

Martin McAdam, CEO and founder of Ardgowan Distillery, said: “This is a very special day – and a transition of the project. We move from a building site to become a distillery once these stills are installed. This is the culmination of a lot of work here by the guys at McMillan Coppersmiths. We are delighted to have these ready and to be installed on the site in the next couple of days.”

Find out more about McMillan Coppersmiths here.

Photos Courtesy of Duncan McGlynn.

About McMillan Coppersmiths

Founded in 1867, McMillan Coppersmiths has a rich heritage of craftsmanship, with many of its production methods dating back 150 years. The manufacturer prides itself on the traditional handcrafted production of copper stills, as well as semi-automatic and manual welding equipment for welding stainless steel, copper and nickel alloys. Since acquiring McMillan in 2020, Briggs of Burton’s business growth in the Scotch Whisky sector has soared.