Coca-Cola Consolidated has announced a $90m investment into a new, 400-square-foot distribution and warehouse facility in Columbus, Ohio, US.

The investment also includes two 15,000-square-feet buildings to house equipment repair services and fleet maintenance. The new 60-acre campus is part of the Rickenbacker Industrial Center.

It aims to better serve customers through new technology, sustainability process innovation and a designated learning centre.

The Columbus warehouse will handle more than 16 million cases of product a year and, on average, around 75,000 cases daily. Coca-Cola Consolidated’s Vertique system is a semi-automated solution that improves warehouse productivity, efficiency, accuracy and working conditions.

This latest investment has resulted in 35 additional hires, with the learning centre providing teammates with hands-on training and the opportunity to grow their skills. The site also leverages new equipment in line with sustainability efforts, including LED lighting, infrastructure for future EV charging stations, cardboard and plastic compactors and re-designed HVAC systems in its fleet shop.

Across Ohio, Coca-Cola Consolidated currently has more than 2,210 teammates working in 15 facilities – including two manufacturing plants in Cincinnati and Twinsburg – serving more than 21,000 businesses.