Project

Carlsberg Vietnam Expansion: 50% Capacity Growth

HUDA Carlsberg Vietnam Packaging Line NIRAS

Carlsberg Group is one of the leading brewery groups in the world. When they identified Vietnam as a key growth market, they decided to dramatically increase production capacity by 50% while maintaining operations in one of Asia’s most competitive beverage markets.

October 22, 2025

SECTORS: Food & Beverage
COUNTRIES: Vietnam
CLIENT: Carlsberg
DURATION: 2023-2025

Strategic partnership for complex delivery

Carlsberg selected NIRAS to lead the end-to-end delivery of this ambitious expansion. Our role encompassed process and utilities design, control system migration, and the strategic relocation of a complete high-speed packaging line from elsewhere in the region.

The scope of expansion was vast, touching almost every part of the brewery. From fermentation, filtration and carbonation to water treatment, CO₂ recovery and steam generation, NIRAS was tasked with creating a coordinated and fully integrated design.

Automated CCT hall

Initially appointed to carry out the full Design to Tender (DTT) process, the NIRAS team developed 21 interlinked work packages that enabled the client to go to market with confidence. NIRAS also supported tender evaluations and supplier selection, coordinating civil and building engineering interfaces to ensure alignment.

Following this, NIRAS was retained to support the detailed engineering phase, acting as both technical advisor and integrator. Through close collaboration with the client’s global and local teams, the design was finalised with a clear implementation strategy that minimised disruption to day-to-day operations.

Brewhouse expansion - second brew stream

“This wasn’t just a technical achievement, it was a testament to careful planning, collaboration and local support.”

Ian Cunningham, Head of Electrical, Control and Building Services at NIRAS

Migrating a live control system without disruption

A key enabler of the expansion was a complete control system upgrade, transitioning from an outdated PCS7 setup to the more advanced Brewmaxx platform. With no existing documentation for the legacy system, NIRAS reverse-engineered the control philosophy through on-site assessments and operator engagement.

Working with a European system integrator, the new Brewmaxx configuration was developed remotely, followed by a successful pre-FAT in Croatia. This allowed the team to resolve issues well ahead of implementation. The final migration, completed in January 2025, was meticulously planned and delivered through a single shutdown, avoiding the need for temporary interfaces or duplicate coding.

One of the standout successes came just hours after the switchover: cooling to the fermentation block was restored in just 4 hours, eight hours ahead of target, allowing the plant to resume operations almost immediately.

“Despite the accelerated timeline and undocumented system, NIRAS delivered the migration on time and well within risk parameters,” said Ian Cunningham, Head of Electrical, Control and Building Services at NIRAS. “This wasn’t just a technical achievement, it was a testament to careful planning, collaboration and local support.”

Strategic Asset Relocation

Concurrently, NIRAS managed the decommissioning, transport, and reassembly of a complete packaging line from a donor facility in Southeast Asia. Over 30 trucks transported the equipment cross-border, where our team handled receipt, inspection, refurbishment, and new site adaptation.

We benchmarked performance at the original location before dismantling, ensuring smooth recommissioning in Vietnam. Modifications to integrate updated packing and palletising equipment were incorporated into the reinstallation plan, ensuring the line was fully optimised for long-term performance.

“This was a complex logistical and engineering task, and our ability to draw on in-region expertise was a major factor in the success,” noted Nick Jones, Expertise Director at NIRAS. “Our site team was embedded throughout the construction and installation period, working alongside the client’s own engineers and supporting the wider project management process.”

“This was a complex logistical and engineering task, and our ability to draw on in-region expertise was a major factor in the success,”

Nick Jones, Expertise Director at NIRAS

Supporting Carlsberg's Growth Vision

The 18-month phased delivery achieved several key milestones in early 2025:

Over 1.4 million hours worked without a lost-time accident
First successful brew through the new production stream
First cans produced on the relocated packaging line
50% capacity increase delivered on schedule and within budget

Integrated Engineering for Industrial Growth

This project demonstrates how NIRAS's specialised capabilities enable ambitious client visions. Our expertise in control system migration, cross-border logistics, and live operations integration proved essential for Carlsberg's strategic expansion.

For Carlsberg, this represents more than increased capacity, it's a foundation for sustained growth in one of Asia's most dynamic beverage markets, delivered through proven industrial engineering expertise.

That achievement was recognised on the invitation for the Inauguration Ceremony of the Phu Bai Brewery Expansion, where Nguyen Thai Ha, Technical Director at Carlsberg Vietnam, shared a message that captured the spirit of collaboration behind the project:

“[The completion of the expansion project] marks a significant milestone for Carlsberg Vietnam, as the expansion increases our capacity by over 50%, reaching 5.5 million hectolitres annually, making it Carlsberg’s largest beer production facility in Asia. This achievement would not have been possible without your strong collaboration and contribution. The expansion enables us to better serve the growing demand in the Vietnamese market, while advancing our commitment to sustainability.”

It was a privilege to attend the ceremony and see first hand how this collaboration has helped deliver Carlsberg’s largest production facility in Asia.