The West Yorkshire company behind the fastest growing automated self-serve drink solutions in the UK is ramping up production after extending its manufacturing partnership with PP Control & Automation (PP C&A).
Marc Watkiss , left, NPI production leader at PP C&A, with business development manager, Matthew Heather
EBar, which has developed patented pour technology capable of delivering 200 pints per hour, has sealed a number of new contracts with sporting venues for its Beerwall technology. The new partnership will see the number of units in operation rise to 100 by the end of 2025.
To cope with this increase in volumes, it has pressed the ‘scale-up’ button with manufacturing outsourcing specialist PP C&A. They took over the complete electronics and mechanical build, and full assembly, earlier this year.
A dedicated team of eight engineers at the West Midlands factory has created a specialist production cell that has the potential to build up to five units every week, a 200% increase on the previous capacity.
“The best inventions are often born out of necessity, and that is certainly true of EBar, which is transforming bar service at live venues and sporting events across the UK,” said EBar founder Nick Beeson.
“My co-founder missed a vital try at a rugby international whilst queuing for a half-time pint. This got us both thinking that there must be a better option, and that’s exactly what we’ve developed — first with our mobile technology, and now with our built-in Beerwall solution.”
Massive surge in orders
He added: “Our simple three-step ‘order, pay, pour’ interface is proving a major hit, not only with event-goers, music lovers and sports fans, but also with venue operators keen to improve service and maximise revenue.
“This has led to a massive surge in orders, and we will have Beerwalls installed in five Premier League football stadiums, including Brighton and Hove Albion, by the start of next season.
“We wanted to source a manufacturing partner that offered us repeatable quality and, importantly, the ability to scale-up quickly, and that’s where PP C&A has really come into its own.”
Matt Heather, business and development manager at PP C&A, said: “Outsourcing is about understanding the bigger picture — the pain points, the end goal, and what looks like success. These are all conversations we had with Nick and his engineering team before we started. This led to a strong partnership that we hope will be in place for many years to come.
“EBar is delivering one of the biggest hospitality innovations in decades, and we are giving it the production capability to maximise its first-to-market opportunity. It’s fantastic to see two domestic innovators commercialising the technology in the UK.”
