Coca-Cola reinforces its investment in Catalonia

The 2017-2018 plan includes 16.6 million euros to improve production processes

Coca-Cola currently has an investment plan underway in Catalonia with a final budget of 16.6 million euros. The main aim is to boost innovation in the production processes in its Barcelona plant, in addition to optimizing sustainability and energy savings. This goal is not new: since 2010, the factory has reduced is water consumption by 12% and improved its energy rating by over 4%.
 
According to Coca-Cola European Partners Iberia, the company's Barcelona plant has “state-of-the-art innovation, productivity, occupational safety and excellence in its processes”. As part of this investment plan it has recently implemented a smart lighting system in its facilities to improve lighting conditions while reducing energy costs, representing savings of between 90% and 97%.
 
The investment plan was launched in 2017 with the adaptation of new manufacturing lines and a process room, at total cost of 8.7 millions euros. The remaining 7.9 million euros will be invested this year in projects like the second phase of the renewal of the lighting systems. Among other objectives, the company also seeks to generate energy savings in the blowing processes in the PET production line.

The company's footprint in the region
The Barcelona plant is one of the seven production plants Coca-Cola has in Spain. Counting the production and distribution of its beverages, the company contributes 1.05 billion euros to the Catalan economy, 0.5% of the region's GDP. This is the finding of the socio-economic impact study on Coca-Cola's activity in Catalonia by the consulting company Steward Redqueen, with data from 2016.
 
Over 806 people work for Coca-Cola in the region, and the study calculates that each direct job with the company generates another 17 indirect jobs, taking into account the network of suppliers, distributors, retailers and the hotel and restaurant business. This represents 13,980 indirect jobs.