Brisbane cracks open $75m mega Coca-Cola canning line to quench energy drink thirst
With energy drink demand bubbling over, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) has poured $75 million into a new mega canning line in Australia.
The state-of-the-art production line at the company's Richlands site in Brisbane, Queensland, was recently opened — and unveiled a rare glimpse inside the factory.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Coke's largest canning line unveiled in Brisbane.
If canning at full capacity, the new line pumps out 2,000 cans per minute, 120,000 per hour, and nearly three million each day.
It is set to keep up with the nation's craving for high-caffeine drinks such as Monster and Mother, as well as fizzy favourites such as Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta.
'This is a landmark moment for our operations in Australia,' CCEP Australia managing director Orlando Rodriguez said.
'Richlands is our largest manufacturing site in our Australian network, and now it's home to our most efficient and largest canning line to date in our global network — bolstering Queensland 's thriving manufacturing industry and supporting Aussie jobs.'
The 18-month build provided work for more than 250 local contractors and the new line has already created 18 full-time jobs.
'It's a real win for Queensland manufacturing and a real win for local jobs, ' CCEP Australian director of manufacturing Tom Scheibling said.
'It really is a major investment in our people here in Richlands.'
Rodriguez said the investment reflects the company's commitment to local production and reducing environmental impact.
'Our philosophy is centred on making it where we sell it — reducing the distance our products travel, cutting emissions and keeping shelves stocked more efficiently.'
The new line is as smart as it is speedy, using room-temperature can filling to slash energy use by 23 per cent compared with older lines.
A boosted water treatment system ups water efficiency by 67 per cent.
Coca-Cola drinks have been made in Australia for nearly 90 years.
The company now employs more than 3,000 people nationwide — more than 700 of them in Queensland.
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