The brewery’s old brewhouse was installed when the brewery was founded in the early 90s, and the first brews were made in 1993. Now, 30 years later, the old brewhouse is retiring, well earned, and new equipment is replacing it.We needed an entirely new brewhouse, and since production couldn’t be halted, the old brewhouse was kept running on its last legs until the new equipment was brought online. The new brewhouse also required an entirely new building, which also supports adding more of an experience element. The new brewhouse is designed so that guests will in future be able to follow the beer-brewing process from a prime spot, a platform running around the brewhouse.The new brewhouse triples brewing capacity, thereby enabling continued growth. Beyond capacity, the new brewhouse is significantly more energy efficient. The equipment includes an energy storage tank that captures heat generated during production. We can use this thermal energy, for example, to heat water in the manufacturing process. The new brewhouse also increases job satisfaction thanks to improved ergonomics.
For the brewhouse expansion, Nokian Panimo received a business development grant from the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Central Finland. The development grant is part of Finland’s 2014-2020 Sustainable Growth and Jobs structural fund programme. Funding for the project comes from the European Regional Development Fund. Under the programme, small and medium-sized enterprises can receive support for, for example, green economy projects.
