PRESS RELEASE
Ekopak’s subsidiary, Global Water & Energy, delivers wastewater treatment and biogas recovery system for Budweiser Brewing Group’s Samlesbury Brewery
6th May 2026, Bruges, Belgium
- Global Water & Energy successfully delivers state-of-the-art wastewater treatment and biogas recovery facility at Samlesbury Brewery in the UK
- Project supports Budweiser Brewing Group’s sustainability goals through water stewardship and renewable energy generation
Ekopak’s subsidiary, Global Water & Energy, a leading provider of industrial wastewater treatment and green energy solutions, announces the successful delivery of a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment and biogas recovery system at Budweiser Brewing Group’s Samlesbury Brewery in the UK.
Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I Ireland (BBG) hosted a special Cheers To Nature event at its Samlesbury Brewery, celebrating the company’s progress towards its global 2025 sustainability goals, which included significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and brewing with 100% operational renewable electricity in the UK. The event also celebrated the opening of the brewery’s new state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility, strengthening BBG’s commitment to sustainable brewing in the UK. The new treatment facility was officially opened by Minister Dearden MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Ribble Valley MP, Maya Ellis, with Deputy Mayor, Councillor Caleb Tomlinson also in attendance.
Globally, the brewer has improved global water use by 22.7% per hectolitre since 2017, and in high stress areas achieved a water use efficiency of 1.95 hl/hl; an improvement of 31.3% since 2017.
The Samlesbury Brewery recently expanded to increase brewing capacity, which was supported by a £7.8 million investment in 2025. This expansion included the new on-site wastewater treatment facility, built by Global Water & Energy, and is designed to further strengthen the brewery’s commitment to protecting one of its most valuable resources: water.
This is in alignment with Samlesbury’s local water service company, United Utilities, as site designs needed to be updated to pre-treat wastewater before discharge through biological processes. As part of the on-site water treatment process, organic material is broken down, which as a result, produces biogas as a by-product. This is reinjected into the brewery’s energy system and used as renewable heat. As a result, the brewery has reduced gas consumption by 5-8% and lowered CO₂ (Scope 1) emissions.
Opening the water treatment facility, Minister Dearden stated, “It was a pleasure to visit the Samlesbury brewery and see first-hand Budweiser Brewing Group’s significant investment in sustainable brewing and in the local economy. The site plays an important role in supporting the pubs and hospitality sector, and this investment helps strengthen the long-term resilience of an industry that sits at the heart of communities across the UK.
Maya Ellis MP said: “AB InBev’s Samlesbury Brewery is a major employer in my constituency and has continued to invest in its facilities, demonstrating confidence and long-term commitment in the area. I was pleased to welcome the Employment Rights Minister, Kate Dearden, to Ribble Valley to join me in officially opening the wastewater treatment plant, which will dramatically strengthen the business as a sustainable brewer.”
Uli Ombregt, Business Unit Manager said “At Global Water & Energy, we are proud to have delivered a wastewater treatment and biogas recovery solution that supports AB InBev’s operational needs while contributing to its sustainability ambitions. By turning wastewater into renewable energy, this project shows how industrial water treatment can create real environmental and operational value.”
Samlesbury Brewery has been brewing since 1972 and today employs around 500 people, making it a significant contributor to the North West economy. In 2021, £45 million was invested at the site, reinforcing its role as a long-term manufacturing hub and local employer. This latest phase of investment builds on that foundation, strengthening both environmental performance and regional impact.
Yleni De Neve, Sustainability Director, Europe at AB InBev, said “Our significant investments in Samlesbury underlines our long-term commitment to brewing great beer locally in a way that continues to protect the natural resources that businesses and communities depend on. Water is the most important ingredient in our beers, and this new wastewater treatment facility will help us further reduce our environmental impact while supporting the resilience of our operations in the North West, and the UK more broadly.
“As part of AB InBev, we are proud to contribute to global progress in water stewardship and climate action, including significant improvements in efficiency and water savings across our breweries. Building on decades of brewing heritage, this latest investment strengthens the site’s role in the community as a sustainable manufacturing hub and a positive force in the regional economy.”
About Global Water & Energy
Global Water & Energy (GWE) is a full solution provider to the global marketplace for industrial water and wastewater treatment, water reuse, digestion of organic solids, and production of green energy. GWE commits to creating cost-effective solutions that allow industries around the world a greener footprint and maximized energy-efficiency. As such, GWE contributes to a better and cleaner world for current and future generations. With hundreds of worldwide installations and over 35 years of application experience, we can tackle the toughest water, wastewater and organic waste-to-energy problems.
Global Water & Energy is part of Ekopak Sustainable Water. The Ekopak Group provides its solutions on a global scale and operates worldwide with offices in multiple countries.
Contact: Melissa Vanhoecke – Marketing@ekopakwater.com
www.globalwe.com
About Budweiser Brewing
Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I is the trading name of AB InBev UK Limited, a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, a publicly traded company (Euronext: ABI) based in Leuven, Belgium, with secondary listings on Mexico (MEXBOL: ABI) and South Africa (JSE: ANB) stock exchanges and with American Depositary Receipts on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BUD). In the UK, Budweiser Brewing Group employs over 1,500 people in our three breweries in Magor, Samlesbury and Enfield, and in our local headquarters in Central London.
As a company, we dream big to create a future with more cheers. We are always looking to serve up new ways to meet life’s moments, move our industry forward and make a meaningful impact in the world. We are committed to building great brands that stand the test of time and to brewing the best beers using the finest natural ingredients. We are proud to offer the UK’s leading premium beer and cider brands, including global brands Budweiser®, Corona® and Stella Artois®; international brands Bud Light®, and Hoegaarden®; and local champions Bass® and Boddingtons®.
