Global beverage major Coca-Cola has inaugurated two new bottling plants in Asia, in China and India, with a total investment of $129m.
A $106m bottling plant was opened in Shijiazhuang, in the Chinese province of Hebei, and a $23m facility in Greater Noida, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.
The new Chinese plant, which is Coca-Cola 43rd in the country, has been developed as part of the company's $4bn investment plan for 2012-2014 to meet the increasing consumer demand for beverages in China market.
The facility, which is spread over an area of 170,000mt2, will bottle both sparkling and still beverage brands including Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, and Minute Maid. It will create 2,000 jobs and generate 20,000 indirect job opportunities for the local people, the company said.
In addition, Coca-Cola China plans to install three new production lines at the plant over the next few years.
Coca-Cola COFCO president and COO Zhang Jixiang said that Coca-Cola's bottling business is of strategic importance to the COFCO Group as it provides consumers with a full range of beverage choices.
Meanwhile, the new plant in India, owned and operated by Moon Beverages, comprises four lines. It has a can line to manufacture sparkling beverages, and a still beverage line and two lines to manufacture packaged drinking water.
The facility, which is Coca-Cola India's 57th plant in the country, is a milestone in expanding the sparkling and stills business in India, the company said.
Coca-Cola International executive vice-president and president Ahmet C. Bozer added, "This new plant reflects our belief in India as a strategic growth market with immense potential. The plant will help catalyze local growth and development.
"Our investments in the India are on track as we build scale, manufacturing capacity, distribution capability and a robust product portfolio to realize our business goals in India"
