COCA-COLA, THE multinational soft-drinks giant, has announced that it is to proceed with plans to create more than 100 jobs in a new €190 million manufacturing and innovation facility in Co Wexford.
The drinks firm is submitting a planning application for the operation, which will be based on a 41-acre site in Wexford Business Park and will be supported by the IDA.
The new operation will include manufacturing, laboratory and pilot plant facilities to enable process development and product commercialisation.
Coca-Cola also intends to assign a portion of the €190 million investment to research and development activities.
The firm anticipates that the proposed flavour manufacturing and innovation facility will create about 60 jobs after one year and more than 100 jobs after five years in operation. The skill sets required will include advanced process development, engineering and manufacturing.
The announcement has been a long time in gestation. In 1998, Wexford lost out to Ballina, Co Mayo, as the location for the firm's concentrate plant.
The multinational then expressed an interest in building the flavour facility in Wexford but pulled out in March 2005, citing low business confidence in the world economy as well as uncompetitive market conditions.
At the time, Coca-Cola said it would review its decision in 12 months. Almost 40 months later, it has finally sought planning permission.
Crystal Warwell Walker, director of communications with Coca-Cola, said other Coca-Cola sites such as those at Drogheda, Ballina and Athy were considered for the new plant, but were deemed "not suitable".
However, even if Coca-Cola's plans are approved by Wexford County Council, the firm may still not go ahead with the plant.
"There are many business factors which will determine whether we go ahead with the next stage," Ms Warwell Walker said.
"We hope to be in a position to make a decision after we complete due diligence and have received the outcome from the planning process. If it proceeds, we anticipate it would be operational approximately two to three years after approval."
Last October, Coca-Cola Ireland closed its plant in Drogheda, Co Louth, with the loss of 256 jobs.
The plant had a different focus to the proposed Wexford operation, as it made concentrate rather than flavours.
The Coca-Cola "system" employs more than 1,700 people in Ireland.
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