US soft drinks giant Coca-Cola is set to axe a bottling facility in Weimar, central Germany, with 178 positions under threat, according to a report in the Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk.
Coca-Cola cited overcapacity as the reason behind the decision, following a decline in sales of products packaged in reusable PET bottles.
The planned closure is set to include administrative as well as production facilities, with functions such as HR, sales, marketing and finance to be centralised in the firm’s Berlin headquarters.
Commenting on the decision, Coca-Cola Germany CEO Brigitte Faust described the move as “painful but necessary”, as the company looked to make its operations more streamlined and efficient.
The plant is slated for closure by 1st March 2018.
Source: Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk