Coca-Cola invests nearly $100 million in Queensland manufacturing

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) Australia has opened an upgraded can line at its production site in Richlands, Queensland. Supported by a multi-year $22.2 million investment, the company says the upgraded can line caters for increasing consumer demand for canned beverages, allowing CCEP to scale its local can production and to deliver beverages more quickly and sustainably to Queenslanders.

It is the company’s most efficient can line to date and has the capacity to make up to 2000 cans per minute in a variety of formats. This includes favourites such as Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Sprite and Mount Franklin Lightly Sparkling.

The upgraded line is complemented by an additional multi-year $75 million investment into a new can line at the same facility, which the company says will supercharge the local production of Monster Energy Company products. Anticipated for completion in mid-2025, this new can line will utilise world-class equipment and the latest technology to increase CCEP’s energy drink production capabilities, in step with rapid category growth. It will also support job creation and security for Queenslanders.

“At CCEP, we have a comprehensive sales and distribution network that covers every Australian postcode. This includes a strong and growing footprint in Queensland, where our local manufacturing capabilities have never been more critical,’ said Orlando Rodriguez, Managing Director at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Australia. “It’s important to us that we’re continually improving our operations to drive efficiencies, both in terms of sustainability and costs. These latest, state-of-the-art investments in manufacturing technology at Richlands represent a leap forward in productivity, safety, quality and environmental stewardship, which are key pillars of our business and essential to our future.”

The site’s upgraded can line is projected to conserve more than three Olympic-sized swimming pools of water annually compared to other existing can lines.

Energy savings will also be unlocked thanks to its ability to fill cans at room temperature, eliminating the need for energy-intensive cooling processes; a feature that is expected to reduce energy consumption by approximately 23% compared to the previous line.

Safety is also front and centre, with the team having undertaken a rigorous design validation process, using virtual reality to refine equipment layout and proactively identify and address potential risks.

The can lines at Richlands form part of a broader wave of investments by CCEP in its Australian operations. Earlier this year, the company announced a substantial $105.5 million investment in a new Warmfill Line to produce Powerade and Fuze Tea products at its Moorabbin plant in Victoria, while in 2022 the company completed a $43.7 million upgrade of an existing can line at the same site.

“In the short term, investing in our local manufacturing infrastructure significantly enhances our ability to meet the needs of our valued customers. In the years to come, these efforts to build our operational presence nearer to the end-consumer will help make our ambition to reach net zero emissions a reality,” Rodriguez added.