Coca-Cola Bottling Company United Inc. plans to invest an estimated $330 million to construct a new Birmingham facility in the city’s Kingston community. The facility will create up to 50 new jobs and retain 750 positions.
“For over 120 years, Coca-Cola United has been a stand-out member of Birmingham’s business community, so it’s wonderful to see this world-class company make another major investment to build a new headquarters facility in the Magic City,” said Gov. Kay Ivey.
Coca-Cola United purchased the land of the former Stockham Values and Fittings site on 40th Street North in 2013. It is about two miles from its current location off East Lake Boulevard.
“This project has been years in the making and we are excited to build a campus that will reflect our foundational core values of quality, excellence, integrity and respect,” said Conrad Rafield III, chairman of Coca-Cola United’s board of directors. “We are incredibly proud of the relationships and partnerships we’ve forged in the greater Birmingham area through the years, and we remain committed to being good stewards and neighbors in the communities where we live and work.”
The new facility, which will be visible from Interstate 20/59, will include a 150,000-square-foot multi-floor office complex and a 300,000-square-foot warehouse featuring the Vertique case picking system that is among the most advanced in the beverage industry.
The facility will serve as the Birmingham Coca-Cola sales center, as well as Coca-Cola United’s corporate, Central Region and North Alabama Division headquarters. The company’s Classic Food and Vending arm, customer solutions center and services department also will be housed onsite.
“Coca-Cola Bottling Company United is the definition of a legacy business in Birmingham. Having been in our community and a part of its growth for more than 100 years gives me great pleasure to see the city play a significant role for future generations,” said Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin.
According to news reports in mid-May, the City of Birmingham approved a development agreement that provided incentives to Coca-Cola United for the new complex. The incentives included spending up to $400,000 for water infrastructure improvements and construction of an access road to the site.
The construction of the complex is expected to take up to three years.
