Hard-hit by the Depression, they were desperate for more work. The manufacturers were in close contact with developments in the United States, holding regular talks by visitors, and viewing industrial films from America. When canned beer exploded in the States, they seized the opportunity while others hesitated.
They were helped by having two brewers in the area who were just eager to see increased employment and prosperity in Llanelli. Buckley's Brewery was reported by the Welsh morning newspaper, the Western Mail, to be investigating canned beer in October 1935. Felinfoel, with family interests in the tinplate industry, were just as keen - if not keener.
Robert Barlow of Metal Box felt there might be scope for canned beer in the export market. Anyway, he was not prepared to turn away the tinplate industry were by now with the St David's Tinplate Works in Bynea. This was the computer that supplied the sheets for the first British beer cans, assembled by Metal Box in London, before being returned to Llanelli for filling.
The weekly "Llanelli and County Guardian" recorded the historic moment on 3 December 1935, under the triple heading: 'Canned Beer Arrives', 'Epoch-Making Process at Felinfoel Brewery', 'New Hope for Tinplate Industry'. The paper's report said that the first can of beer was turned out 'without a hitch' in the presence of chairman Martin John, brewer Sidney John - 'who has pursued much research work in connection with the new idea' - and representatives of other brewing and trade interests.
The conical cans were filled on adapted bottling machinery and sealed with a standard bottle top (known as a crown cork). The 10oz cans of pale ale were the equivalent of half-pint bottles. They were then packed in cardboard containers, holding two-dozen cans, ready for dispatch. The newspaper reported: 'One of the most impressive features of the process was its simplicity and speed. Girls, who in the past have handled many thousand of bottles, adapted themselves to new conditions with apparent ease and, once started, the cans were filled and corked with unbroken regularity.'
Brewery manager Willie Rees explained that Felinfoel had been experimenting with canned beer for a couple of months.
We were particularly struck with the success which followed its inception in America at the beginning of the year, and realising its potential and the stimulus which its universal adoption in this country would give to the tinplate trade, and especially local industry, we decided to put the novel idea into practical use ourselves.
Head brewer Sidney John believed they had gone one or two steps better than the pioneers across the Atlantic, claiming the Americans had brewed a beer to suit the can, while Felinfoel had found a can 'to hold the perfect beer'. 'Their beer is being pasteurised and the result is that the natural ingredients are being destroyed. That is not and will not be the case with our beer', he pledged. 'The difficulties of the London Metal Box Company have been to find a lining to preserve beer in its best state. After considerable research work, they have succeeded in doing so - the Americans have not.'
Felinfoel was so proud of its achievements that every employee of the brewery and the tinplate works was given a can to mark the occasion. These cans today are valuable collectors' items.
Buckley's was not amused at being beaten to the punch by its smaller neighbours. In the same issues of the paper, it paid for a large advert to proclaim:
'The canning of beer was accomplished at Buckley's Brewery bottling stores on the 3rd December, and samples may be seen at the brewery and at displays in the town.
However, until the directors are satisfied that canned beer has the same estimable qualities as their bottled product, the process will be in the nature of an experiment, and for the time being the canning process will be conducted experimentally with persistence and caution'.
It was not until many years later that Buckley's actually produced a canned beer for public sale.
Felinfoel, in fact, would have welcomed Buckley's jumping on the can wagon, for the John family was more concerned to stimulate the tinplate industry than to corner a new beer market for itself. Llanelli was so depressed in the 1930's that Felinfoel even gave free bread and cheese in its pubs to customers buying its beer. 'Naturally, we are proud of what we have already been able to achieve', said manager Willie Rees. 'The success of the venture in this country, however, depends entirely upon the extent to which it will be exploited by the brewing trade.'
Associated industries throughout South Wales were keen to see the product succeed and help lift the deep Depression. Sidney John estimated that 500 million cans a year would be needed if beer canning was generally adopted in Britain. That was big business, and some were prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to try and make it happen.
After trial batches Felinfoel began to produce canned beer for public sale from 19 March 1936. A month later the steel firm of Baldwins issued thousands of leaflets to its workers in South Wales urging them to buy their beer, cider, fruit juices and milk in tin containers instead of bottles, in order to encourage others to follow their example and so stimulate the tinplate trade.
