One of Britain’s largest cider makers will set up a new line at its plant in Birmingham, after demand for the drink shot up.

Aston Manor Brewery, which makes a range of brands including Frosty Jack’s Cider, announced it would be spending £3 million on a new filing and packing line after a record year of sales.

The cider market has expanded significantly in the last few years, and Aston Manor – which is the third largest cider maker in the UK – saw its sales go past 100 million litres and £50 million a year for the first time in its history.

The growth of the cider market has been driven by the increasing popularity of luxury brands, as well as the increasing market share of bottled cider brands like Magners and Bulmers.

Aston Manor was set up in the 1980s by ex-employees of Ansell’s brewery. It soon moved into cider production, which became the main focus of the company.

The new line will up Aston Manor’s capacity by 30 million litres a year, and will also let it produce new ranges of glass and PET (plastic) bottles.

The company has found success with a new range of plastic bottles made for festivals, clubs and sports stadiums where glass bottles are banned.

Peter Ellis, managing director of Aston Manor, said he was very pleased to see sales go up during the tough economic times. He added: “We have always focused on providing our customers and consumers with high quality and great value brands, the new line will further enhance our ability to do this.

“It allows us to be the sole exclusive packager of the UK’s leading lager and cider brands in PET and gives us the flexibility to adapt to changing customer needs as they arise.

“But most importantly of all, by underpinning our long term growth, it provides more job security for the fantastic team of people we have at Aston Manor and those of our suppliers to the Birmingham and Malvern production sites, in these incredibly tough times.”

Aston Manor spent eight months planning, building and installing the new line. It was installed with the help of partners Krones (of Germany), Kosme, Baumer and ACMI (of Italy), and funding from Lloyds TSB.

The new production facilities were officially opened by Digby, Lord Jones of Birmingham. He said: “Not only does this investment mean that sustainable business will flow, but more and better jobs will be created.

“We will only get out of our economic problems if we trade our way out; that calls for UK Business to make the profits from which people can be employed and tax can be paid, so that the debt can be paid off and unemployment can reduce.”