Local MP visits Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ Wakefield factory to officially open new high-speed canning line
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), the world’s largest independent bottler of Coca-Cola, welcomed Simon Lightwood, MP for Wakefield and Rothwell to officially open its new state-of-the-art, high-speed canning line at its Wakefield manufacturing site, following an investment of over £30m for the installation.
Lightwood met colleagues and saw first-hand how CCEP continues to invest in its Wakefield site - Europe’s largest soft drinks plant by volume. He spent time with the team, learning about the site’s manufacturing capabilities, CCEP’s apprenticeship programme, and plans for future investment in West Yorkshire.
The new canning line is capable of producing 2,000 cans per minute and provides additional production capabilities for CCEP’s light-weight 330ml cans across brands including Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta, Dr Pepper and Sprite.
It is part of a £103 million investment into the site since 2019, which includes a £42.3m investment into a new Automated Storage
Retrieval System (ASRS) warehouse facility – currently in build – that will stand 38-metres high and double the site’s storage capacity, removing 18,500 lorry journeys from the road network every year.
Katharine Duncan, Site Director at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Wakefield said:“It was great to welcome Simon Lightwood MP at Wakefield to officially open our new high speed canning line.
“Not only will our new canning line improve the site’s capabilities and improve energy efficiency, but combined with the latest investments, it underscores our commitment to our Wakefield site and the almost 600 strong team who work here.”
Simon Lightwood MP said: “Coca-Cola plays a vital role in our local economy and it was inspiring to visit the Wakefield site (largest bottling plant in Europe!) to see how the business is investing not only in state-of-the-art facilities but also in the people that make it all happen.
“It was great to meet some of the dedicated workforce and apprentices whose contributions have helped shape the site’s progress since 1989. I was especially encouraged to hear about the company’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of workforce through apprenticeships and skills development.
“This kind of investment is exactly what we need to grow our economy and deliver good, secure, well-paid jobs. I look forward to seeing how the factory continues to grow and innovate in the years ahead.”