UK – Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), one of the largest anchor bottlers of beverage giant Coca-Cola, has invested £28m (US$33m) into its manufacturing site in Sidcup, United Kingdom to fund the installation of a new canning line.
The new high-speed canning line is capable of producing 2,000 cans per minute, elevating the site’s production capabilities and supporting the production of sustainable packaging for a number of CCEP’s brands.
According to a statement from the UK-based bottling giant, the new canning line is set to open in June 2022, creating at least 19 new job roles in the local area.
Rory Kerr, operations director at CCEP Sidcup, said: “The latest investment will help to boost our production capacity, using the latest manufacturing innovations to produce some of the most loved, well-known global brands from right here in Sidcup.”
The investment, according to Coca-Cola, coincides with the 60 anniversary of the Sidcup site, which operates 10 production lines and is the only Coca-Cola site in GB to produce 150ml and 250ml cans.
CCEP has invested £118m in the site since 2017 and the recent investment demonstrates a long-term commitment to Sidcup, Kerr noted.
“We’re proud to be a truly local business, thanks to the continued passion and dedication of our workforce to evolve our Sidcup site and the sustainability of our operations,” he added.
CCEP’s latest investment will build on the drinks manufacturer’s commitment to become carbon neutral by 2040 .
The site has already seen a 26% reduction in its carbon footprint since 2010, attributed to a number of energy-saving measures including the installation of the site’s Automated Storage Retrieval System (ASRS), significant increase in efficiencies across the supply chain, and use of HGV trucks.
CCEP GB vice-president and general manager Stephen Moorhouse said: “We’ve been part of the community in Sidcup for 60 years, and this £28m investment underscores our ongoing commitment to the site and the local area.
“The investment is also an important milestone in our sustainability journey, helping us to achieve the ambitious goals set out in our action plan, which targets six key social and environmental areas where we know we have a significant impact, both locally and globally.”
Earlier this year, the largest bottler in Europe announced that two of its factories – one in Spain and the other in Sweden – have been certified carbon neutral under the international standard PAS 2060.
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