Coca-Cola Malaysia to invest RM500 million to scale up Nilai plant

NILAI: Coca- cola Malaysia will invest RM500 million to expand the size and production capacity of its current plant at Bandar Enstek, near here.

Chief Executive Officer of Bottling Investment Group Singapore - Malaysia- Brunei, Stephen Lusk said construction on another 4.047 hectares, adjacent to the 12.545 hectares of the current plant, is expected to begin in the first quarter of this year and be fully operational in 2020.

“When completed, Coca- cola Malaysia will have 1,000 direct employees, while creating another 10,000 indirect jobs in companies supporting the business supply chain,” he added.

He was speaking at the plant expansion ground breaking ceremony yesterday.

It was officiated by the Tunku Besar Seri Menanti, Tunku Ali Redhauddin Tuanku Muhriz.

Coca- cola has invested RM1 billion in Malaysia since 2010, creating more than 800 jobs and over 75,000 customers directly with a total reach of over 200,000 customers nationwide.

Its plant in Bandar Enstek serves as the halal production hub for the Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei markets, producing beverages under the CocaCola, Fanta, Sprite, A& W, Schweppes, Glaceau, Heaven and Earth, Minute Maid Pulpy and Dasani brands.

Lusk said the additional investment by the company is an indication of optimism and outlook towards the Malaysian economy.

The first stage of the plant expansion is expected to be completed by year- end and will house a state of the art automated warehouse with an Automated Storage and Retrieval System, as well as additional production lines over time, as the company expands into different beverage categories.

Lusk said with the new expansion, it will give the company the capabi l ity to add product ion lines and increase exports to other Southeast Asian countries, besides Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore.

Asked whether the company would increase the price of products due to the recent increase in sugar price, he said there would be a small rise that has already been factored in by the market. — Bernama