Glen Walter, CEO of Coca-Cola Bottling Investments Group China, congratulates the new plant construction breaks ground on June 26, 2014. [Photo / chinadaily.com.cn]

Coca-Cola officially kicked off its new green plant construction in South Harbin Industrial City on Thursday. The plant represents a $100 million investment and is part of the three-year, $4 billion investment plan in 2012-2014 that underscores the Coca-Cola Company's confidence in and commitment to China.

Deputy Mayor of Harbin Qu Lei, Regional Director for China & Southeast Asia of Coca-Cola Bottling Investments Group Martin Jansen, CEO of Coca-Cola Bottling Investments Group China (BIG China) Glen Walter, BIG Franchise General Manger of Coca-Cola China Zhang Jin, and General Manager of Coca-Cola (Heilongjiang) Beverage Co Ltd Guo Mu attended the groundbreaking ceremony.

Coca-Cola established its first plant in Heilongjiang in the Harbin Economic-Technological Development Zone in 1994. The new plant is part of the redevelopment plans and will be located in the New South Harbin Industrial City. With strong business growth in the northeast region, there is a need to increase capacity to fulfill the fast increasing local consumer needs.

The 200,000 square meter plant is designed to accommodate nine production lines for both sparkling and still beverages, including Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Minute Maid and Ice Dew. Upon completion, the total investment is expected to deliver an annual production capacity of 1.2 million tons of beverages. The first phase of the new plant will be operational in 2016. At that time, the existing Heilongjiang plant will be relocated to the new site together with its operation and management team.

Following the concept of green plant, green operation and green office, the new Coca-Cola Heilongjiang plant adopts green building standards in various aspects from site selection, building environment, water-saving, energy-saving, air protection, material and resource utilization, indoor environment quality and design innovation. The plant will strictly enforce the international certification system requirement for the Silver Certification of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

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