INDIA – SLMG Beverages, the largest independent Coca-Cola bottler in India and Southwest Asia, has partnered with Dalmia Packaging to establish a PET bottle recycling plant in India.
The plant, a joint venture for the two companies, will be developed with an investment of Rs0.9-1bn (US$10.7m-US$11.99m).
The facility will boast an annual capacity of 36,000mt and produce 24,000mt of plastic for PET bottles.
The joint venture will leverage Dalmia Packaging’s expertise in plastic sourcing for recycling.
The plant, expected to contribute to 20 percent of SLMG’s sales, will be located strategically between Lucknow and Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, optimizing accessibility and operational efficiency.
SLMG has also appointed Costin Mandrea, a Coca-Cola industry expert, as CEO to professionalize the operations and prepare for capital market entry within the next two to three years.
SLMG stands as a significant supplier of Coca-Cola in Uttar Pradesh, operating seven plants with a daily bottling capacity of 410m units satisfying about 90% of the state’s demand and maintaining a robust presence in other states like Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh.
It supplies 90% of the Indian state’s demand and has a significant presence in other states such as Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh.
The company’s extensive network reaches over 300 million people via 1.5m outlets and more than 1,500 distributors.
SN Ladhani, chairman & managing director of SLMG Beverages, highlighted the company’s proactive stance, expressing optimism about commencing production within two years and advocating for concessions to align with other industries involved in recycling, as quoted by The Hindu Businessline.
Meanwhile, in collaboration with Reliance Retail, Coca-Cola India launched a PET collection and recycling initiative titled ‘Bhool Na Jana, Plastic Bottle Lautana’ in January.
The project will introduce reverse vending machines (RVMs) and collection bins in Reliance Retail stores across Mumbai and plans to expand nationwide.
The initiative, initially implemented in 36 stores, aims to reach 200 stores by 2025, targeting the collection of 500,000 PET bottles annually during the pilot phase. Reliance Retail will manage the recycling process for the collected PET bottles.
This initiative aligns with Coca-Cola’s commitment to collect and recycle the equivalent of 100% of its packaging output, part of its ‘World Without Waste’ strategy.
Greishma Singh, Coca-Cola India, and Southwest Asia Customer and Commercial Leadership vice-president, emphasized the partnership’s role in generating awareness and offering shoppers a convenient way to recycle PET bottles while shopping.
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