Skinners looking to ferment its place in the market

Staff at Cornwall-based Skinners Brewery are toasting their success after announcing plans to grow by 20 per cent.

After a year of record trading in 2007 the company has now unveiled an ambitious scheme to install another 100-barrel fermenter so it can produce 68,000 extra litres of beer week.

Skinners has also recently recruited two more employees to take its workforce up to 30 for the first time in its 11-year history.

Managing director Steve Skinner said: "We are looking to double our capacity over the next three years, with more new jobs in the pipeline.

"In 2007 - our tenth anniversary year - we enjoyed sales increases of up to 20 per cent on our cask ales and 40 per cent on bottles. It was a struggle at times to cope with demand, and there is every indication that our business volumes will continue to grow quite substantially."

The company has also launched a new website which is highly animated and easily accessible to all visitors to the site, including blind and other disabled people.