The main sponsors for this event were:

Logoplaste

Quinn Glass

SIG

GSF

Gold Medals and Certificates are awarded for the outstanding products in each class of the competition, and Silver Medals and Certificates awarded to high attainers in each of the classes. Diplomas of excellence are awarded for other especially meritorious products in each class.

The BBI were delighted to award 12 Gold medals in Various Classes of the competition to:

Aspall :…………………………..for Aspall English Apple Juice

Aquamist Ltd:…………………...for Aquamist Oxyrich, (bottle dress)

Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd.:………...for Robinsons Smooth Juice

Crown Foods:…………………....for Keringet Sparkling Pure Mineral Water

Crown Foods:……………………for PurAqua Still Water

Juice Republic:…………………...for Fresh Cold – Squeezed Pure Orange Juice

Luscombe Organic Drinks:………for Organic Hot Ginger Beer

Montgomeryshire Spring Water:...for Springbourne Natural Mineral Water Still, ( Bottled for 3663 First For Foodservice)

Montgomeryshire Spring Water:...for Springbourne Natural Mineral Water Sparkling, ( Bottled for 3663 First For Foodservice)

Montgomeryshire Spring Water:...for Springbourne Natural Mineral Water Still, (bottle dress) ( Bottled for 3663 First For Foodservice)

Sangs (Banff) Ltd.:………………for MacB Sugar Free Strawberry & Kiwi Sparkling

Sangs (Banff) Ltd.:………………for MacB Sugar Free Cranbury and Raspberry Still

A further 12 Silver Medals were awarded to GlaxoSmithKline Nutritional Health, Rocwell Natural Mineral Water, Celtic Pure Ltd., Sangs (Banff) Ltd., Luscombe Organic Drinks, Montgomeryshire Spring Water, Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd., Juice Republic, for their various products.

Additionally 13 Diplomas of Excellence were awarded to Brecon Beacons Natural Waters, Tipperary Natural Mineral Water Company , Crown Foods, Aquamist Ltd, Sangs (Banff) Ltd., GlaxoSmithKline Nutritional Health, Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd., Radnor Hills.

Medals and certificates were presented by both Colin Barker the National Chairman of the BBI and John Yates General Secretary BBI. The awards for products which were judged by blind tasting at the premises of Aetna UK Ltd. reflect the high standards that are being achieved within the British Drinks Industry and all recipients of the awards and all the companies that entered the competition were congratulated and thanked by Colin Barker. Colin also thanked Barry Wilson the Competition Coordinator for its success.

Montgomeryshire Spring Water receiving 3 gold and 1 silver medals from Colin Barker and John Yates

During the order of events Wyllie Woodburn, Operations Director of Highland Spring, proposed a toast to the BBI and thanked the BBI for their hard work over the years. Wyllie reflected on the fate of the Scottish and English football teams and remarked on how internationally successful the BBI Dinners had been over the 50 years with Equipment and Material suppliers attending from all over the World. Wyllie commented that there would have been no Water Bottling Companies attending during the early years, they were not in existence.

BBI National Chairman, Colin Barker, responded to the toast and paid tribute to those involved in the organisation of the BBI in particular General Secretary John Yates and the Dinner Coordinator Andrew Broadbent. Colin stated that an important part of BBI activities were the visits to various companies within the Industry and expressed thanks to those companies, namely, Greene King, Carlsberg UK, A G Barr Mansfield, Highland Spring, Purity Soft Drinks, Ambev Samlesbury, Britvic Leeds, Robert Wiseman and Quinn Glass. He also thanked event organisers Colin McClelland and Brian Gibbs.

As part of the evening’s celebration, the BBI Achievement Award, donated by Krones UK Ltd in 1993, was presented to David Kaye, the soon-to-retire Managing Director of Krones UK, in recognition of the growth and achievements of his company, and his own major contribution to the bottling industry over many years. The award was presented by Ed Binsted (Managing Director - Binsted Group), who outlined some aspects of David's career and achievements.
As Ed explained, after an apprenticeship in the aircraft industry, David joined the bottling machinery industry, initially working for Barry Wehmiller, then Meyer Dumore, and finally M & E Goddard (December 1975) the Krones UK agent, which was ultimately to become a subsidiary of the Krones group.
When David was appointed as Managing Director of the company in 1981, turnover was £6m, and it is expected to top £60m in 2007. During his tenure, the company moved to new purpose-built headquarters at Bolton in 1991, and David has overseen a number of major industry contracts including "Project Apollo" for Colman's Norwich, (now Britvic), Bass Brewers at Cape Hill, United Distillers / Diageo, Quinn Glass and Bulmers Ltd, Clonmel, to name but a few.
David’s involvement with the industry extends beyond his role in Krones UK. He has been a very staunch ally of the BBI for many years, supporting his colleagues Nigel Hall and Don Kelly in the Northern Section, and has also been pro-active in fostering relations with co-suppliers and customers via the (currently dormant!) Krones UK cricket team, in fixtures against the likes of National Adhesives, Guinness, and others.
Ed further explained that during David's time at the helm of Krones UK, the company has fully supported trade exhibitions, trade dinners / social events, as well as providing speakers for conferences and training seminars. Krones has also advertised regularly in International Bottler & Packer -something close to Ed's heart!
In presenting the Award, Ed said: “The industry as a whole is undoubtedly the better for David Kaye having been involved in it over the years, and his enthusiasm for all the new products that Krones has launched over the years has been unfettered, to the extent that Krones UK is amongst the most important international subsidiaries of Krones AG. I cannot think of a better person to win the Award for 2007".

David Kaye receives the Krones Achievement Award from Colin Barker and Ed Binsted

On receiving the award, David first thanked the BBI council members for bestowing this much-appreciated accolade on him, and then paid tribute to his long-time industry friend, Ed Binsted, for his kind tribute.
He then posed the question: "Why me?" and, in seeking to answer that question, took the audience back to 1953, the year when both the BBI and M&E Goddard Ltd were both formed. David reached the conclusion that the only reason that he had merited the BBI Achievement Award was for "good attendance", highlighting this by producing his 1953 Sunday School prize, which bore those very same words!
Taking "a trip down memory lane", David highlighted his career in the industry, now spanning 43 years, with the above-mentioned 3 companies, and recalled his attendances at many BBI dinners, which contributed significantly to the development of very close relationships with the BBI, from both personal and corporate perspectives, and at both regional and national levels.
Krones UK became recognised as the "Northern Forum" of the BBI, and the company subsequently provided Chairmen at both regional and national levels. David also pointed out that, by a happy co-incidence, 2007 had also seen the 50th anniversary of Krones UK's corporate membership.
He then reflected upon the events of 1993, when the BBI and Krones UK jointly celebrated their 40th birthdays. This prompted the donation of the BBI Achievement Award, to be awarded annually by the Council, for outstanding contributions to our industry.
David added that, given this historical perspective, it was doubly-pleasing for him to be the recipient this year - something he had never envisaged - and particularly poignant for him, in view of his forthcoming retirement.
He also recalled, with some obvious fondness, the manner in which he came to join the bottling industry in 1964. This was at the height of "Beatlemania", and all the Bolton lads replying to an advertisement placed by Ronnie Voce, the then Chief Engineer of Barry Wehmiller, had Beatle-style haircuts. This was obviously anathema to Voce, and when David came for interview with conventional "short back and sides", the job was automatically his!".

On responding to a toast to BBI Guests by Andrew Broadbent Ed Binsted, grandson of the BBI founder Arthur Binsted, reflected on the past 50 years, and the future of the Industry.

Ed opened by saying how well the BBI Dinners had served the Bottling Industry for 50 years.
The first ever guest speaker, Major General Sir Guy Salisbury Jones, 50 years ago, was celebrating his first vintage from his vineyard in Hambledon, Hampshire. Nobody gave English wine makers much of a chance of making it into the big time but surely their endorsement came last year when Ridgeview English Sparkling Wine beat French Champagne in the blind tasting, and we now have 400 vineyards in the UK.
Looking at early photographs of Dinners, there is not a single bottle of mineral water on the table. We now have 430 mineral water producers in the UK. We look at how the UK mineral water market has grown from just a few years ago – when our good friend, Wyllie Woodburn, of Highland Spring Water - had a major investment in production facilities - that was probably the largest order placed in the bottling industry that year.
Interestingly, in the Brewing sector, although the big groups are getting ever larger, we now have 400 micro brewers in the UK that account for 11% of Ale sales. Ed also remarked that 50 years ago drinks were limited. There was virtually no lager so if you went to the pub you were drinking, Ale, Cider, Whisky or Gin and for the ladies it was port & lemon, Dubonnet & lemonade and Babycham.
Now, of course, there is a plethora of products available, not just in the alcoholic sector. Britvic have really developed the premium soft drinks sector in this country. Britvic’s strategy of premium products in truly excellent packaging and in buying the best available equipment has set them apart in the UK soft drinks sector.
The UK bottlers have been the benchmark for overseas suppliers; they still endeavour to buy the best equipment and continue to improve.
Ed also reflected on changes within the retail industry and how the might and power of the retail giants produces many bizarre situations.
It is Ed’s belief that there is a place for organisations such as the BBI, PPMA and Scotch Whisky Association, for like-minded people to get together to discuss the issues but more importantly doing something about it, as the future is in everybody’s hands.
The question of the British bottling industry for the next 50 years? Ed has the opinion that the sort of passion Highland Spring, Britvic etc. have put into their company’s over these past few years – proves that if you have a real passion for what you believe in – you will succeed. It just needs a few more passionate enthusiasts to grow the industry.
Ed’s final words “In closing, Ladies & Gentlemen – as the Festive Season approaches – do your level best to support British bottlers and those products bottled in the British Isles".

Britvic Soft Drinks receiving Gold and Silver Awards from Colin Barker and John Yates

The evening was rounded off by the appearance of Ian Irving, a comedian who has a reputation as an all round entertainer with both home and overseas experience. Ian, an ex London/Basildon lad provided great humour, very much appreciated by his audience.

The primary role of the BBI is to foster networking opportunities for its members and we do greatly appreciate receiving as much feedback as possible both to the events which the Institute organises and to thoughts on any future events.
Judging by the high degree of networking, during and after the dinner, the event was seen as successful by the hosts and guests.

Visit our sponsor’s websites:

Logoplaste....... http://www.logoplaste.pt
Quinn Glass...... http://www.quinn-group.com
SIG...................... http://www.sigcorpoplast.com
GSF..................... http://www.gsfsandylight.co.uk

Brian Gibbs