Coca-Cola Expanding North Texas Plant, Contractor Identified

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Coca-Cola Bottling Company of North Texas (Fort Worth, Texas), an independent bottler for Coca-Cola Enterprises Incorporated (NYSE: CCE) (Atlanta, Georgia), has begun construction on an expansion project at their soft drink bottling plant in the Fossil Creek business park in Fort Worth.

Approximately $6 million will be invested in phase one of the plant expansion and will involve an addition of a 125,000 square foot warehouse for finished product storage and distribution.

Regional general contractor, d/b constructors (Fort Worth, Texas) is performing the work and is currently mobilizing subcontractors to the location to begin site preparation activities for the expansion. d/b constructors is also in the running to win a contract for the new Hanson Brick plant in northern Texas. See archived IIR Industry Alert: Hanson Brick Plans to Construct 23rd North American Brick Manufacturing Plant

Phase two of the project, that is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2004, will involve the installation of hi-speed bottling line to the 35 year old plant. Phase three, a new water bottling line, will complete the expansion when it moves forward sometime during the company's 2005 fiscal year.

Currently, the plant located at 3400 Fossil Creek Boulevard, employs roughly 600 people and once the expansion project is completed, the company will increase the workforce at the plant by 41 employees.

The company has also received a ten-year $1.3 million tax break from city officials for the additional hiring of local employees and meeting contracting provisions.

Coca-Cola Enterprises is the world's largest marketer, producer, and distributor of products of The Coca-Cola Company. The Company operates in parts of 46 states in the U. S., all 10 provinces in Canada, and portions of Europe. They employ approximately 74,000 people; operate 454 production and warehousing facilities, 55,000 vehicles, and 2.5 million vending machines.