The Coca-Cola Company Bottling Investments Group's (BIG) bottling unit, Cambodia Beverage Company, has opened a new bottling plant in the country.

The new facility is a part of the company's plan to invest $100m in Cambodia between 2015 and 2018.

The Phnom Penh plant is expected to create 300 jobs in addition to 1,800 indirect jobs across the Coca-Cola value chain in transportation, manufacturing, and packaging supply sectors.  

"We look forward to creating a stronger future for our communities and businesses in this country."

BIG president Irial Finan said: “This new factory reaffirms our strong belief in this country, and helps us to capture the growth opportunities in this young, increasingly competitive and dynamic marketplace.

“We look forward to creating a stronger future for our communities and businesses in this country.”

The facility will commence production through two lines, with plans for six additional lines, as demand warrants.

The plant is one of the Coca-Cola facilities in Cambodia, with Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) international certification.

It has provisions for rainwater harvesting, lighting automation, ionized air rinsing and low-energy conveyor motors.

US Ambassador to Cambodia Bill Heidt said: “Coke is well known for its very progressive corporate social responsibility practices, especially its global commitment to empowering women.

“When I visited Coca-Cola’s previous plant in Phnom Penh, I was inspired to find dozens of female employees in non-traditional roles, including six female truck drivers and a group of what I think are Cambodia’s first female fork lift operators.”

Image: Cambodia Beverage Company employees toast the new, state-of-the-art Coca-Cola bottling facility in Phnom Penh. Photo: courtesy of The Coca-Cola Company.