PepsiCo has inaugurated a new beverage canning line at its Dragomirești-Deal plant in Ilfov County, Romania, following an $8.5 million investment.

The canning line is said to be the only one of its kind in the Eastern Balkans region, marking a major milestone in PepsiCo’s investment in Romania.

With seven production lines now in operation, the Dragomirești-Deal plant’s annual production capacity has been boosted to over 500 million litres of beverages, 15-20% of which will be exported.

The new line supports 250ml, 330ml and 500ml packaging formats, covering the entire beverage portfolio of PepsiCo East Balkans: Pepsi, Mirinda, 7UP, Mountain Dew and Lipton. It is designed for high efficiency, with a capacity of up to 1.5 million cans per day.

The new production line is integrated into the plant’s logistics flow through automated guided robots, which handle and store pellets. As a result, the product undergoes a fully automated process, from filling to loading on trucks.

According to the beverage giant, the carbon footprint of the line is reduced by 210 tons of CO2 annually compared with conventional canning lines. Additionally, water consumption is reduced by around 20%, while electricity and natural gas usage will also decrease ‘considerably’.

In 2023, the company also commissioned the most automated bottle filling line in its European portfolio following a $13 million investment.

Radu Berevoescu, general manager of PepsiCo East Balkans, said: “This investment marks a new stage in the modernisation and development of our operations in Romania. Beverages produced in Dragomirești-Deal reach consumers in seven markets, positioning us as a strategic production and distribution hub for Central and Southeastern Europe.”