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Pernod Ricard has invested $22 million in its first-ever ready-to-drink (RTD) canning line, located at its Fort Smith plant in Arkansas. The investment will provide the facility with canning capabilities, support growth for the company and bestow more job positions in the area. Pierre Joncourt, senior vice president at Pernod Ricard North America, said: “This investment is an incredible step in strengthening our manufacturing footprint in Fort Smith. The high-speed canning line will be instrumental in increasing our production capabilities and swiftly bringing our premium, bar-quality RTDs to market.” The plant currently produces several Pernod Ricard spirits, including Kahlua Coffee Liqueur and Seagram’s Gin. Pernod says the new canning line and RTD offerings will enable the company to make popular brands more accessible to consumers. Jennifer Anglin, senior operations director for the Fort Smith plant, commented: “Volume has only continued to increase for our Fort Smith facility and the spirits industry overall. This latest canning line expansion will not only allow us to produce various spirits across our brand portfolio, but more importantly, it will create numerous jobs to keep up with demand.”