Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland is investing £26 million, or about $35.1 million, in expanding its Knockmore Hill production facility in Lisburn, Business Plus reported.
The money will go toward a high-speed bottling line designed to use recycled plastic and will represent the company's largest individual investment at the Northern Ireland site since it opened in 2008. The new system should be up and running by May.
The system is designed to make more than 100,000 bottles from 100% recycled plastic every hour: 65,000 500-milliliter bottles and 36,000 2-liter bottles. This is in line with Coca-Cola HBC's new policy, announced in 2024, of using recycled plastic across its entire line.
It is always encouraging to see Coca-Cola and other large brands taking responsibility for some of their impact on the planet. Coca-Cola has been named the planet's largest plastic polluter, so any step away from that and toward a cleaner, eco-friendly approach is an improvement. This new plant will remove waste plastic from the system and turn it into a useful product.
According to Business Plus, Simon Fitzpatrick, general manager for Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland, said: "Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland is a growth-focused business firmly rooted in our local communities. This new investment is a perfect example of how we are continuing to look to the future as we expand and increase our commitment to Northern Ireland.
"The new bottling line will make our manufacturing abilities even more agile, supporting our production facility in becoming the industry leader in supply chain excellence, and ensuring we continue to evolve to meet our customer needs."
He added: "By investing in local economies, supporting small businesses, and prioritizing environmental stewardship, we are not only enhancing our business operations, but also contributing to the overall well-being of society."
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