Coca-Cola builds green, high-tech plant in Yunnan

Lately, the Coca-Cola Company and Swire Group jointly celebrated the opening of a new plant in Yunnan, which is known is the largest in the area south of the Yangtze River in China, and also world-class operation that received a gold certification of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

The LEED rating system is used by the US Green Building Council to measure a building's sustainability and resource-efficiency. The investment is another example of the Coca-Cola system's commitment to investing and growing in China. 

James Quincey, president and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, said "Coca-Cola has been part of the tremendous changes in China since the opening of the market in 1979." According to him, Coca-Cola started its business in China with a single brand, and it has built a portfolio of more than 20 brands in the market today.

The new Yunnan plant marks a milestone in celebrating the upcoming 40th anniversary of Coca-Cola's return to China. Together with its bottling partners, Coca-Cola offers a growing portfolio to Chinese consumers, in addition to playing an important role in the communities.

The new plant in Yunnan is designed and constructed as LEED’s style. Photovoltaic power generators are located on the roof of the main building.

The power generated will be integrated into the State Grid at an estimated annual capacity of 5 million kWh. To reduce summer heat and save energy, the plant uses natural lighting, intelligent lighting systems, two-way heat-protective glass and highly reflective materials that cover 75 percent of the roof.