- Coca-Cola’s new production line uses artificial intelligence (AI) to proactively identify and resolve issues before they cause stoppages.
- New plant has the capacity of producing 19,200 bottles per hour in pack sizes ranging from 300ml to two litres.
- This increase in production will facilitate the export of beverages to neighbouring markets including landlocked Zambia.
Coca-Cola is set to enhance its Soft drinks production capacity in Malawi with the investment of a new $14.9 million bottling plant. In the company’s market update, the new investment seeks to set up a state-of-the-art production line in the Southern African country’s capital Lilongwe.
According to Coca-Cola Beverages Africa Proprietary Limited (CCBA) CEO Sunil Gupta, “This investment in Malawi reaffirms the Coca-Cola system’s local approach, we produce locally, distribute locally and, where possible, source locally. Our value chain includes a significant number of businesses, many of them small and medium enterprises (SMEs).”
“This investment goes beyond numbers, it’s about creating shared opportunities across the value chain,” said Neil French, General Manager of the beverage giant’s subsidiary Coca-Cola Beverages Malawi Limited (CCBM).
Coca-Cola line has capacity of bottling 19,200 bottles per hour
According to CCBA, the new line in its subsidiary, CCBM, has the capacity of producing 19,200 bottles per hour in pack sizes ranging from 300ml to two litres. This increase in production will facilitate the export of beverages to neighbouring markets including landlocked Zambia, the company said.
This investment also marks an advancement in CCBM’s production capacity, which will now allow it to produce bottled water and beverages bearing Coca-Cola’s trademarks as well as the iconic local brand Sobo, all on the same line.
CCBM said the new production line uses artificial intelligence (AI) to proactively identify and resolve issues before they cause stoppages, thereby minimising downtime and reducing costs.
The introduction of new technology has also created the opportunity for employees to be trained in new skills, contributing to the development of a future-ready workforce for both the business and the country.
CCBA Chief executive Gupta noted that: “This investment is a clear demonstration of our continued belief in the future of Malawi.”
Growth driven business
He also highlighted CCBA’s broader efforts: “As a customer centric, digitally-enabled, growth-driven business, we are committed to excellence across our value chain. Efficient operations allow us to offer faster delivery and improved service. This new production line is another step in our journey to achieve execution excellence.”
At the moment, CCBA is the eight largest Coca-Cola authorised bottler in the world by revenue, and the largest on the African continent. It accounts for over 40 percent of all Coca-Cola products sold in Africa by volume.
Across the continent, CCBA operates in 15 countries, including its six key markets of South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Mozambique and Namibia, as well as Tanzania, Botswana, Ghana, Zambia, the islands of Comoros and Mayotte, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Malawi.
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