UPDATE 1-Robert Wiseman Q1 in line with own view
* Says underlying debt lower than own forecast
* Q1 sales volumes up 8.5 pct vs last year (Adds details)
July 9 (Reuters) - Scottish dairy group Robert Wiseman Dairies Plc (RWD.L) said on Thursday its first-quarter performance was in line with its expectations and underlying debt was slightly lower than its own forecast.
The company, which procures, processes and delivers liquid milk to customers across the UK, said sales volumes in the first three months of the new financial year were 8.5 percent ahead of the same period last year.
The company said volumes processed at its new Bridgwater facility were growing in line with its expectations.
"Given the new contract wins, we are pushing ahead with the planned increase in capacity to 375 million litres per annum at this site, at a cost of 7.5 million pounds ($12.1 million), and are hopeful this extra capacity will be on stream in early 2010," Robert Wiseman said in a statement.
Shares of the company closed at 387.5 pence on Wednesday on the London Stock Exchange. ($1=.6219 POUND) (Reporting by Tresa Sherin Morera in Bangalore; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)
