Global soft drink manufacturing giant Coca Cola is set to invest £14 million into the development of its manufacturing site in Morpeth, Northumberland.
The Morpeth plant is the only source of Schweppes Abbey Well Spring Water and for the last two years has been the only British plant to produce Glaceau Smart Water, thanks to the use of a local spring.
The fresh investment will also fund the production of a new sports cap format for the brand.
Coca Cola European Partners (CCEP) administered the multi million pound investment which will treble production at the facility and create up to 56,000 bottles of water every hour.
Once redeveloped, the site will be able to send out four million cases of water each year from the Coopies Lane facility, which is enough water to fill 100 Olympic sized swimming pools.
Councillor Scott Dickinson said that this investment is further evidence that Morpeth, along with Northumberland in general, is becoming a popular destination to conduct business.
Dickinson added: Coca-Colaâs continued confidence in the future here is also a tribute to the skills of its workforce as well as a great boost to the local economy.
Meanwhile, CCEP Morpeth Operations Director, Jane Buckley, insisted that the company is dedicated to supporting manufacturing in the local area.
Buckley continued: This investment in new equipment and production technology for Schweppes Abbey Well and glaceau smartwater is an exciting milestone for our Morpeth operations.
The townâs MP, Ian Lavery, has also welcomed the announcement and he was shown some of the investment that has been made already this year in the Coopies Lane site.
The new high speed, fully automated water-processing and bottling line has more than doubled the existing production capabilities of the site from 18,200 bottles to 56,000 bottles every hour, which is equal to more than four million cases of water each year.
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