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All in one: Pernod Richard''s Lawrenceburg, Ind., plant can produce everything from whiskey to wine coolers. (Plant Focus).

Article Excerpt
Pernod Ricard operates two production facilities in the United States, each curiously enough, located in cities called Lawrenceburg. Wild Turkey Bourbon is produced in Lawrenceburg, Ky., and Seagram's Gin and numerous other products are produced at the newly acquired distillery in Lawrenceburg, Ind.

Beverage Industry recently visited the former Seagram distillery in Lawrenceburg, Ind. Seagram products have been produced at the plant since 1933, but the plant was originally built in 1847 and was known as the Rossville Distillery. During its history, the plant has grown from nine acres to 177 acres.

While Pernod Ricard owns the plant and the Seagram's Gin brand, the facility also produces under contract many of the products that went to Diageo during the sale of the Seagram brands. The plant produces straight whiskey, light whiskey, neutral grain spirits and gin, as well as Seagram's Coolers malt-based products. It is registered as a distillery, brewery, and even a winery for wine cooler production. It produces more than nine million cases of product each year, and re-ships about 1.2 million cases of products such as those imported into the United States by Pernod Ricard. The Lawrenceburg plant is managed by Plant Manager Dan Gibb, who refers to the six hundred people employed at the plant as "the best of the best" for their combined knowledge and skill in distilling, warehousing, blending, packaging and engineering.

The contract production agreement with Diageo will keep some of the brands at the distillery for the next four years, and Pernod Ricard will gradually move production of some of its other products into this distillery.

Diverse product range

The Lawrenceburg plant produces a wide variety of products, but every one of the products begins with grain. The majority of it comes from the million bushel grain elevator now owned by...