THERE was no fanfare or celebration – just the rumbling of apples and the sound of machinery.

But big things are happening in Ledbury and its place at the core of the European cider industry is now assured.

Production started last week at Europe’s biggest fruit mill on Little Marcle Road.

Universal Beverages (UBI) has spent more than £110 million converting the former Robertson’s jam factory into a cathedral of industry.

The investment could be a record in Herefordshire and the plant is capable of processing 20,000 tonnes of fruit a week.

There’s also the small matter of a 15-year contract with Scottish and Newcastle to mill and press apples for Bulmers.

Matthew Daykin, UBI customer relationship manager, hailed the transformation from jam factory to world-class drinks plant.

“It’s exciting for us and the local community – this is the largest apple pressing mill in Europe, yet it’s here in Ledbury,” he said.

“All the construction teams we’ve used are locals and every piece of land we own here is being built on at the moment.”

The celebrations are in sharp contrast to 12 months ago, when Robertson’s was preparing to close after 93 years in business.

But another fruit-minded firm, UBI, came to their rescue in December and secured the site in a joint venture with the Q Group.

Construction work had started by the time Robertson’s produced its last jar of jam on July 28, while 85% of its 120 workers secured new jobs.

Better still, local firms have completed an 18-month rebuild in six months, and some of the figures are staggering.

Reaching 31 metres in height and slightly shorter than the Ledbury viaduct, some vats can hold 230,000 litres, while the plant’s eight apple pits can hold 100 tonnes of apples.

More than 120 smaller vats have been ordered from Del Monte in Italy, while all the piping has been fabricated onsite.

The 57-acre site will eventually include fermentation tanks, a storage area and a water treatment plant.

The factory will use and treat its own water, while pomice – the by-product of pressing – will go towards animal feed.

The plant is currently running at quarter output and could eventually employ more than £110m investment puts county at core of European cider industry