Coca-Cola Bottlers Chisinau (Coca-Cola Imbuteliere Chisinau) Tuesday opened a PET production line and a storehouse for finished products that is 5,000 square meters in area. The investment was made by Coca-Cola Hellenic, which includes the Chisinau-based company, Info-Prim Neo reports.
Coca-Cola Bottlers Chisinau manager general Mihai Marinescu said the PET line has the greatest bottling capacity in Moldova and is the largest in the soft drinks sector. It produces 12,000 bottles of 1.5 and 0.5 liters an hour.
“Over 60% of the sold volumes will be produced locally. By reducing imports we will be able to make available a product that meets the same standards, but is made in Moldova. The investment in the PET line represents investment in developing our company as well as the local business community and economic environment. We already made significant investments in technology and now can use the sugar made in Moldova as raw material. We went into partnership with Sudzucker Moldova. We want to repeat this performance and establish other profitable partnerships. The investments made in this project are only a start” said Mihai Marinescu.
Attending the launch, Prime Minister Vlad Filat thanked the investors and all those who contributed to the implementation of this project. According to him, the way that Coca-Cola Bottlers Chisinau works in Moldova should serve as example for other economic entities.
“I assure you that the Government will continue to make effort to create conditions for new investors to come to Moldova and for those operating in our country to extend. We should work together and ensure freedom, democracy and certainly economic development and welfare in Moldova,” said Vlad Filat.
Among those who took part in the launch were also the U.S. Ambassador to Moldova Asif J Chaudry, Romanian Ambassador Marius Lazurca, representatives of central and local public authorities and entrepreneurial circles, and business partners of the company.
Coca-Cola-Hellenic regional director Alain Brouhard said that in 2010 Coca-Cola Bottlers Chisinau significantly increased sales. He voiced hope that the line will offer more possibilities for developing the company and ensuring sustainable growth.
Coca-Cola Bottlers Chisinau was founded 17 years ago. It employs about 200 persons and forms part of the Global Compact Local Network for Social Responsibility.
