Ama Brewery 10th Anniversary: NB Restates Commitment to Nigerian Economy

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The Nigerian Breweries Plc state of the art Ama brewery located in the Coal City of Enugu state has continued to wax stronger as it celebrated the tenth anniversary recently, the 30MHL capacity Brewery which cost a whopping 220 million Euros (N30 billion) to build in 2003 has created employment for over 1,000 workers, both full time employees, contractors and outsourced.

The occasion availed the company the opportunity to showcase the facility to journalists with one remarkable feature being its impeccable condition even after ten years of operation. Continue...

 

Speaking at the tour, Mr. Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser Nigerian Breweries Plc said: “At a time like the 10th Anniversary of Ama Breweries, it is critical that we pull our friends together for two reasons. First, that 10 years after commissioning, the Ama brewery is still top-notch because of it is world-class facility.Also, the quality of staff here can match their contemporaries from any part of the world. The heritage of forthrightness and forward thinking is a tradition with Nigerian Breweries. This is why we have decided to celebrate the milestone with our media partners and friends.” 

In his own remarks, Mr.John Richardson, Brewery Manager informed Journalists present that the milestone is a direct result of Nigerian Breweries Plc’s relentless effort to consolidate its leadership position in the beer market.  “For Ama Brewery, the past 10 years in the Nigerian market has been a success story. The decision to establish the facility here in Enugu was a very good business decision because it has resulted in 10 years of very strong business and community relationships. This success story is made possible by Heineken and the indigenous communities here in Enugu.”

He stressed that the company has maintained its high standard by concentrating on the development of its workforce: “Nigerian Breweries has been in the Nigerian market since 1946 and has trained and retrained hundreds of thousands of workers in the process. For the last 10 years Ama has also created valuable employment for young and enterprising youths in Nigeria. By our sheer size we are able to employ people full time and have other adjuncts like contractors, loaders and others. We are here for the long haul.”

Commissionedon October 24 2003 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the facility described by some as “the jewel in the crown of Heineken NV(Nigerian Breweries' parent company)” was until recently Africa’s biggest brewery and is reputed to be one of the most modern breweries in the world and the first of its kind in Africa. It is the Company’s sixth brewery and the second to be established in the eastern heartland,following Aba brewery,also owned by Nigerian Breweries. The Brewery boasts of the best cutting edge technology and world class standard processes. With an installed capacity 30MHL or one million carton units per week, it is also equipped with an ultra-modern waste water treatment plant in line with safe manufacturing practices world-wide.

The first brew was made on March 22, 2003 while the first bottle of Star Lager rolled off the bottling line at exactly 12.15 p.m. on Thursday April 24, 2003.

Ama Brewery encapsulates the essential ingredients of the world-class vision of Nigerian Breweries Plc and represents another milestone in the company’s journey towards the realisation of that vision. It was, and still is, a bold statement by the company that its world-class vision is real.

Beyond these, Ama Brewery holds enormous socio-economic benefits to the community, the state and the country at large. In addition to opening up the communities to commerce and modernisation, Enugu State has also benefited from increased revenue and the building of international confidence for investment. This multi-billion naira investment, as expected, has translated into enhanced employment, as well as opening a floodgate of business activities and opportunities in the economy.

In the area of corporate social responsibility, the company donated patrol vans to Enugu State government and Enugu State Police Command to enhance the operation of security agencies. It has also provided scholarship, e-learning centre, fish pond, broken pallets for firewood and a civic centre to Umuezeani host community.
Since education is one core area of its CSR portfolio, the company donated a fully equipped laboratory complex to University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

It has also supported Udi Local Government by constructing a block of six classrooms each, libraries, tables and chairs for pupils and teachers, complete with conveniences for all classes to Awhum Community School, Awhum, Community Primary School, Ngwo Uno and Nsude Community School.