Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) has this week opened a new production line at its Edmonton factory in North London to increase production of its most sustainable products. This comes following a £20 million operational investment at the site, forming part of the business' broader £150 million investment programme into its operations in Great Britain (GB) this year.
The production line will make Bag-in-Box products, which contain concentrate for food service and licensed operators to mix with carbonated water to dispense great tasting draught soft drinks to their customers. With no consumer packaging and less water, the format is a sustainable way to deliver soft drinks – saving the equivalent of 48,400 tonnes of CO2. The new line features highly energy efficient machinery and state-of-the-art robotic packers and is the only BIB line in the country.
The investment programme has continued to increase CCEP’s capacity and capabilities to service customers efficiently and support its portfolio of drinks sustainably, providing a greater choice of products and packs. At the same time, the new investment has provided learning and development opportunities for CCEP employees through the creation of 14 new roles at Edmonton site, as well as upskilling existing teams across all levels.
Earlier this year, the site received the internal accolade of ‘Environmental Award’ from The Coca-Cola Western Europe Awards that champion environmental achievements across the Coca-Cola system, bringing the business closer to its sustainable This is Forward goals. The site won the sustainability recognition in the 'Manufacturing' category, based on its solid performance and continuous improvement on water, energy, waste and renewables, demonstrating CCEP’s commitment to driving manufacturing excellence in GB, while operating as sustainably as possible.
Seamus Kerrigan, Site Director at Coca-Cola European Partners, Edmonton, said: “As a truly local business, we are proud to manufacture some of the nation’s favourite drinks right here from our factory in Edmonton. Investing in our people and processes is of the highest importance to us – helping to continually improve the quality, efficiency and sustainability of our operations, as well as ensuring we can continue to support the growth of a team of highly skilled and dedicated people.”
Leendert den Hollander, Vice-President and General Manager, Coca-Cola European Partners GB, said: “At Coca-Cola European Partners, we are passionate about making positive contributions to the communities in which we operate. Edmonton is a great example of the legacy that our local sites can provide to our communities while remaining focused on delivering manufacturing excellence throughout our operations in Great Britain.”
The investment programme underlines CCEP’s commitment to manufacturing excellence in Great Britain, with a range of innovations in machinery and sustainable production and supports CCEP’s sustainability action plan, This is Forward.
