Coca-Cola announces $141M expansion in Brampton

Key Takeaways:

• Coca-Cola Canada Bottling is investing $141 million to expand its Brampton facility, adding a new production line that will increase annual capacity by 20 million cases.
• The project will create 500 construction jobs and utilizes a supply chain where at least 75% of materials are sourced from within Canada.
• The expansion incorporates advanced digital technology to increase manufacturing flexibility and agility, supporting the company’s long-term growth across Ontario and Eastern Canada.

The Whole Story:

Coca-Cola Canada Bottling Ltd. is investing $141 million to renovate and expand its flagship manufacturing, distribution and sales facility here, adding a new production line capable of producing at least 20 million additional cases annually, the Ontario government said Tuesday.

The expansion will create up to 500 jobs during construction and will be built exclusively by Canadian tradespeople, with at least 75 per cent of materials sourced domestically, the company said in a news release. The new production line will be among the most technologically advanced in the country and will include digital enhancements to increase manufacturing flexibility.

The Brampton facility currently employs more than 1,300 people and services more than 7,000 local customers from Kitchener to Oshawa. Beverages produced there are distributed across Ontario and eastern Canada.

“As a proud Canadian business, we are committed to investing to grow in Brampton, Ontario, and across the country for the long term,” said Todd Parsons, Chief Executive Officer of Coke Canada Bottling. “We’re very pleased to bring this leading-edge technology to our Brampton facility that will see us tap into digital enhancements to increase the flexibility of our manufacturing capabilities, enabling us to be more agile as we grow and find new ways to serve our customers.”

Coke Canada Bottling has invested more than $230 million in its Brampton operations since becoming an independent, family-owned business seven years ago. The expansion follows an $8 million investment by the company in its Hamilton distribution centre last year.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the investment reflects confidence in the province’s workforce. “Our government will continue to protect our workers and support new investments by cutting taxes and red tape so that we create the most competitive, resilient and self-reliant economy in the G7,” Ford said in the release.

Vic Fedeli, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, added that the province’s manufacturing sector continues to attract major capital projects. “As one of the largest food and beverage manufacturing jurisdictions in North America, Ontario offers unparalleled access to the talent, resources and business conditions needed to support long-term growth,” Fedeli said.