If you’re considering opening or expanding a craft brewery you’re probably wondering how much a canning line costs. There are an enormous range of factors that will affect the price of a canning line for a craft brewery. Whether you’re paying out of pocket or planning to finance the purchase of your canning line or canning line expansion, it’s important to consider the following factors to ball park a price for your financial projections. The professionals at Brewery Finance have worked with dozens of craft breweries to help them secure the financing to purchase a canning line or finance a canning line expansion. These are the critical lessons we have learned through that experience.
Production Scale and Space Available
What is the desired production capacity of your new canning line? Breweries producing 500 flats a week and breweries producing 5,000 flats a week require two entirely different scales of canning of line equipment production capacity. The production capacity of your canning line will be one of the most significant cost factors. Estimating your production goals is also important for understanding your distribution capacity and prospective return on investment.
How much space do you have available for your canning line? Determining the size of the system you want to implement will impact the estimated cost of your new equipment purchase. Brewery Finance can assist in the financing of your canning line purchase if you are in the expansion process.
Made in the USA or Manufactured Abroad
Craft brewers with a preference for American made equipment should consider that their canning line will be more expensive than a canning line manufactured abroad. There are obviously pros and cons to this decision either way. A canning line manufactured in the states is more likely to have limited or lifetime support from manufacturer and replacement parts can be sourced in a more timely manner. Canning lines manufactured abroad are likely to be a more affordable option for breweries with fewer financial resources. Brewery Finance can help produce loans and financing for canning line equipment purchases for craft breweries.
Aluminum Cans or Glass Bottles
Are you shopping for a canning line for aluminum cans or a bottling line for glass bottles? There are industry arguments on both sides about the pros and cons of glass verses aluminum for craft beverage sales. Glass is more expensive per unit and more expensive to ship, making aluminum cans the more popular option, however, aluminum is also subject to supply chain shortages—an increasingly prevalent issue in the craft beer industry. Whether your brand chooses to can or bottle will affect the cost of your canning line equipment purchase.
Desired Level of Automation
What is your desired level of automation in your canning line? Will you be hand applying labels or do you want the cans to come out ready for distribution. The amount of automation that you desire will definitely impact the cost of your canning line equipment.
How Much Does a Canning Line Cost?
So after all of that you’re probably still wondering, “how much does a canning line cost?” Our clients have invested any where between $15,000 and $250,000 on their canning line equipment purchase for their craft breweries. Obviously this is a wide arrange, highly impacted by all of the factors we described above. A small size canning line setup with low automation could cost as little as $15-25K, whereas a highly automated large-scale production line will cost $100-250K and above. Want to learn more about financing your canning line equipment or obtaining a working capital loan for cans, labels, and lids from Brewery Finance? Contact us today to discuss your options. Applications can be processed in as little as 24-48 hours.