Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) has officially completed a $22.2m can line upgrade at its Richlands production site in Queensland, which is backed by a further $75m, multi-year investment.
The new state-of-the-art can line will increased production capabilities of canned beverages, with the capacity to make up to 2000 can per minutes in a variety of formats.
The additional $75m investment will go into a new can line at the same facility, which will supercharge the local production of Monster Energy Company products.
CCEP said it anticipates the new line will be completed in mid-2025, and will utilise world-class equipment and the latest technology to increase CCEP’s energy drink production capabilities, in step with rapid category growth. It will also support job creation and security for Queenslanders.
CCEP Managing Director Orlando Rodriguez said:“At CCEP, we have a comprehensive sales and distribution network that covers every Australian postcode. This includes a strong and growing footprint in Queensland, where our local manufacturing capabilities have never been more critical.
“It’s important to us that we’re continually improving our operations to drive efficiencies, both in terms of sustainability and costs. These latest, state-of-the-art investments in manufacturing technology at Richlands represent a leap forward in productivity, safety, quality, and environmental stewardship, which are key pillars of our business and essential to our future.”
As would be expected of a new state-of-the-art system, the new canning line carries a number of key sustainability and safety features. These include conserving more than three Olympic-sized swimming pools of water annually compared to other existing can lines, reducing energy consumption by 23 per cent on the previous line and using virtual reality to identify and address potential risks.
Rodriguez added: “In the short term, investing in our local manufacturing infrastructure significantly enhances our ability to meet the needs of our valued customers. In the years to come, these efforts to build our operational presence nearer to the end-consumer will help make our ambition to reach net zero emissions a reality.
“The initiatives come at a cost, but ensuring our operations are as sustainable as possible is a responsibility we’re firmly committed to. It’s part of the value-chain approach we take to doing business and is something we take very seriously.”
CCEP has been manufacturing beverages in Australia for more than 85 years and has operations in every state and territory across the country, with the Richlands site being one of 20 CCEP-managed sites in Queensland.
