2 minute read - 17th October 2023
Coca-Cola opens new canning line at Sidcup factory
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), the world’s largest independent bottler of Coca-Cola, has opened a new state-of-the-art canning line in Sidcup. The news comes just a few weeks after CCEP announced a new £31m investment at its manufacturing site in Wakefield.
The new line at the Sidcup site, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2021, is capable of producing 2,000 cans per minute, forming a key part of a £28m investment in the factory. The line will support the production of sustainable packaging for CCEP’s brands including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta, Dr Pepper, Sprite and Schweppes.
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Coca-Cola Europacific Partners has opened a new canning line at its Sidcup factory, forming a key part of a £28m investment at the plant / Picture: CCEP
CCEP runs a ‘Everyone is Welcome’ ethos which aims to create a more diverse workforce at all sites including Sidcup. This includes encouraging women and others who might not have considered a career in manufacturing previously to do so. To support this, recruitment practices have evolved to focus on skills and aptitude rather than only historical qualifications, and more flexible working options are available to employees to suit a range of lifestyles.
CCEP’s apprenticeship programme has also expanded over recent years, targeting all ages and skill levels to open up pathways for those looking to step into the world of work, or change career direction. Since the programme’s inception, the Sidcup site has supported 21 apprentices across its career builder and early careers offering.
Karl Probert, operations director at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Sidcup, said: “Our dedicated workforce of almost 400 play such an important role in continually evolving our manufacturing operations. We’re proud to officially open our new high speed canning line today. It uses the latest manufacturing innovations to produce many of our brands that consumers know and love, from right here in Sidcup.”
Stephen Moorhouse, vice-president and general manager, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (GB), added: “We’ve been at the heart of the Sidcup community for more than 60 years and we’re proud of the team here helping to drive the latest innovations in manufacturing. We’ve invested almost £120m into the factory since 2017, helping us to support the local economy and accelerate our path to net zero.”