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Recent Visit to Diageo’s Supply Chain

and Brewing Facility in St. James’ Gate

On Thursday 22 February, CILT Southern Section visited the Diageo Supply Chain
Centre and brewing facility at St. James’ gate.
VISITS
to complementary food and refreshments from a menu
which consisted of 11 beers, two are Irish staples (Guinness
and Hop House 13) and 9 were experimental beers, one of
which was a plum pudding beer.

CILT would like to thank Gerry Boylan for allowing the event
to happen. Bill Murphy for his excellent presentation on the
day and assistance in organising the event and to Sarah Jane
Flanagan for her assistance in coordinating the event.

Bill Murphy, Logistics Manager presenting to CILT attendees

On arrival, that afternoon, CILT members were given a
presentation by Bill Murphy, Logistics Customer Service
Manager on the Irish beer supply chain. This was followed by
a guided tour with Ross O’Hanlon - Quality manager (a brew
master) of the recently opened Brewhouse no 4.

Bill Murphy held a captivated audience consisting of
students, young professionals and seasoned logisticians as
he explained the intricacies of the Irish Beer Supply Chain. Bill
took the audience through the overall Diageo business and Attendees with Ross O’Hanlon, Quality Manager during tour
how the logistics model functions on a global scale. A more
detailed overview was provided of how high gravity Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an
(concentrated) beer is brewed in St. James’ gate and taken by outstanding collection of brands across spirits and beer. They
tanker to production facilities in Northern Ireland and have over 200 outstanding brands – old and new, large and
England to be bottled, canned and kegged and made ready small, global and local, with brands sold in 180 countries at
for customers. The audience was particularly interested in almost every price point, in every category to meet consumer
how Diageo manage the reverse logistics of their kegs as demand.
there was audience members from Musgrave and Calor Gas
who have both experienced challenges with reverse logistics
of assets. Diageo’s relationship with its supply chain partners
is critical as many functions are outsourced. Bill
demonstrated some of the supply chains key performance
indicators and how performance is driven through a constant
cycle of continuous improvement which is embedded in
Diageo’s culture at all levels.

The presentation was followed by a tour of the impressive
Brewhouse no4. Ross O’Hanlon led the tour. The audience
was wowed as Ross explained the facility can brew three
brews (one on each brew stream) simultaneously and could
produce up to 950 hectolitres at high gravity of Guinness in a
single production run.

The event was finished off in the Open Gate Brewery for
some informal Q&A and networking. The Open Gate Brewery Wayne Kavanagh presenting a gift from CILT to Bill Murphy
is the pilot brewery that brews experimental new beers
under the Open Gate Brewery label. Attendees were treated By Wayne Kavanagh CMILT Vice Chair of Eastern Section.

38 The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport