A Coca-Cola distributor is enhancing its operations in central Pennsylvania with a new, state-of-the-art sales and distribution center.
ABARTA Coca-Cola Beverages announced plans to construct a 240,000-square-foot facility in South Lebanon Township, Lebanon County, with an investment exceeding $100 million, according to PennLive. Construction will begin in the summer of 2025, with project completion expected by the end of 2026.
The sales and distribution center will use advanced tech that helps sort and stack products more efficiently. The goal of the center is to speed up operations for distribution efforts across the wider area.
The facility is expected to help the local economy and create jobs. All this said, plastic bottling operations are not good for human health or the planet. Studies have shown plastic leaches into drinks and gets into the human body, and plastic can generally only be recycled one or two times before it becomes too weak, at which point it goes into a landfill or gets burned as fuel at a waste-to-energy plant.
Coca-Cola is the world's biggest producer of branded plastic waste. Glass bottles and aluminum cans are still far more environmentally friendly than recycled plastic bottles, as they are infinitely recyclable with no loss of strength, so if the facility can focus more on those products, its operations will be a lot less problematic.
However, a review of products handled by ABARTA shows they are primarily plastic — most notably with the entire Vitamin Water and Powerade lines exclusively sold in plastic bottles, though Smartwater has started to become available in aluminum even at taller 18-ounce sizes. Traditional Coke soda products generally only come in aluminum cans at smaller sizes, so the Smartwater change could lead to further experiments in this area.
ABARTA did at least mention a commitment to sustainability as part of this expansion. The company said it is prioritizing sustainability and preparing to give back all the water used in its drinks by 2035 while also making all its packaging fully recyclable by 2025 — better than not recyclable, but since most consumers do not recycle and plastic is not infinitely recyclable, it's not something that moves the needle much on pollution reduction.
The company indicated it expects the new stacking system will also help cut down on waste by making warehouse operations more efficient and reducing unnecessary packaging.
Coca-Cola has also stepped up its sustainability efforts by investing in plant-based bottles to cut plastic waste and rolling out refillable packaging programs in several markets. While Coca-Cola still has a long way to go to reduce its negative impact on plastic pollution, the moves are an encouraging part of a growing push from brands to reduce their environmental impact.
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Absolutely 💯 "Our business has always been rooted in family, service, and community," said Jim Dinderman, chief operating officer of ABARTA, in a press release. "By expanding our footprint and putting down roots in Harrisburg, this project showcases our optimism and commitment to our customers and our market."
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The situation is a reminder that investment in more efficient and sustainable business practices can benefit a business while also benefiting consumers and the environment.
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