AUSTRALIA – Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), a leading multinational bottling company, has announced a significant investment of US$105.5 million to expand its manufacturing capabilities in Australia.
This funding will be directed towards installing a new Warmfill Line at CCEP’s Moorabbin plant in Victoria, representing the largest single investment in the company’s Australian manufacturing network to date.
This expansion aims to bolster the production of popular beverages like Powerade and Fuze Tea, responding to the increasing demand for sports drinks and no-sugar variants.
Adding the Warmfill Line is a strategic move, aligning with CCEP’s broader commitment to investment, growth, and sustainability within the Australian market.
The sports drink sector is anticipated to be one of the fastest-growing categories in the non-alcoholic, ready-to-drink market, making this upgrade particularly timely.
The new line will enhance the Warmfill network’s capacity, improving product distribution efficiency across Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia.
Orlando Rodriguez, Managing Director of CCEP Australia, commented on the investment, “By installing a new line in Moorabbin (VIC), we will be able to increase the capacity of the Warmfill network in Australia and continue to distribute more of our great products locally.
“Our commitment to supporting growth within the sports category is integral to our overall expansion goals, underlining our steadfast belief in this sector.
“CCEP remains dedicated to continual business investment to increase capacity and enhance efficiency while maintaining a sustainable operation, in line with our growth ambitions.”
The construction of the new Warmfill Line will include a 4,200m² manufacturing hall and a high-speed 640 bottles-per-minute Nitro-Warmfill line.
Significant upgrades will also be made to existing infrastructure, including water treatment and electrical systems. This investment is expected to reduce annual transportation by 2.9 million kilometers, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 3,785 tonnes.
Local builder Vaughan Constructions will begin work this month, and the full site is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2026. Once completed, the new line can deliver up to 17.8-million-unit cases annually.
This strategic investment will accelerate production capacity and drive innovation, advance CCEP’s sustainability goals, and solidify its position as a leading beverage producer in Australia.
In a related move, CCEP announced an investment of £31 million (US$37.87 million) in September last year to set up a new canning line at its manufacturing facility in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, UK.
Claimed to be Europe’s largest soft drinks plant by volume, the new line is expected to manufacture 2,000 cans per minute and commence production activities in 2024.
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