Coca-Cola gives Lae factory a K20mil shot in the arm

COCA-Cola Amatil (PNG) Ltd yesterday launched a new K20 million PET line for its production site in Lae.
The state-of-the-art beverage line creates bottles from imported preforms, produces bottled products itself, does packaging of the product and then palletises.
CCA general manager Gigy Philip said the company invested over K120 million in the past four years on infrastructure to increase capacity, capability and flexibility.
“Much of this investment has gone into transforming our supply chain into a world-class operation,” he said.
“The PET-line is high-end European equipment made in Germany, the best of the beverage lines that we can purchase, and we have installed it.”
President and director of CCA in Indonesia and PNG, Kadir Gunduz, said the production upgrade renewed the company’s commitment to to consumers, customers and all stakeholders.
“First, the canning line and now the PET line,” he said.
“It comes with improved faulty standards, state-of-the-art technology, that helps us to reduce environmental impact, through reduced electricity and water consumption.
“This latest technology also enables us to transfer the knowledge to our employees.”
Gunduz announced that there would soon be a supply chain training academy to be launched in PNG soon, both in Lae and Port Moresby, to help train all manufacturing employees on supply chain and manufacturing standards.
Philip said the company would be investing in training staff to operate the high-end production line.
Meanwhile, Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu thanked CCA (PNG) for its continuous investment in Morobe and PNG.
“Like many other companies that invested in Lae, Coca-Cola Amatil (PNG) has invested a huge amount of money into the country’s economy,” he said.
“I am proud to be the host to the industrial hub of PNG and to this world-class factory for Coca-Cola Amatil in PNG.
“My government is here to ensure that our business community and investors are comfortable in conducting their businesses,” he said.
CCA (PNG) has two production plants, one in Port Moresby and one in Lae, with six distribution
centres and 128 outlets across the country.
Saonu said there was a need for closer collaboration between provincial government and private sector to solve “little” development issues in the province, and eventually achieving the province’s 30-year plan. “We can address our joint concerns like road maintenance,” he said.
“The deteriorating road right in front of Coca-Cola’s Lae office is an issue, and it is a little development issue we need to fix.
“Maybe, through the possibility of a tax credit scheme, instead of the company sending tax to Port Moresby, it can fund the road upgrade for the street.”