COCA-COLA OPENS NEW SALES & DISTRIBUTION FACILITY IN TOPEKA, KANSAS

Mayor Bill Bunten and Shawnee County Commissioner Ted Ensley to Speak at Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on June 21st

Topeka, KS (June 19, 2007) – Coca-Cola Enterprises Bottling Company of Kansas will celebrate the grand opening of its new Sales and Distribution Center in Topeka with a presentation and ribbon cutting ceremony on June 21st. In attendance will be Topeka Mayor Bill Bunten, Shawnee County Commission Chairman Ted Ensley, Topeka Chamber Chairman of the Board Jim Parrish, President of the MTAA Mike Humberd and Topeka Chamber President/CEO Douglas S. Kinsinger.

“We are pleased to celebrate the completion of the new Coca-Cola Sales and Distribution Facility,” says Doug Kinsinger, president/CEO of the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce/GO Topeka. “The fact that Coca-Cola chose to remain in Topeka and build this distribution center speaks volumes about our capable workforce, easy access to highways, and our business-friendly climate. This project shows we can help local companies grow and expand.  With the economic development sales tax dollars available to incentivise new job growth, Topeka and Shawnee County continue to help local companies such as Coca-Cola.  The Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority has been a significant partner for this project and successfully worked to secure land and other improvements necessary for this project at the Topeka Air Industrial Park,” stated Kinsinger.

The new 45,000 square foot facility promised to bring a minimum of 70 full time jobs to the Topeka business community. Presently, the facility counts on a total of 72 employees; a big increase from the 46 employed at the old Topeka facility. The new sales and distribution facility will serve the areas of Topeka, Manhattan, Council Grove, Junction City, and Fort Riley north to the Northeast border of the state and south to Waverly. The primary reason this sales and distribution facility was built was due to the old Topeka and Junction City facilities having exceeded their respective capacities.

“Coca-Cola had other viable options when considering what town would be the home of this new facility and we are ecstatic to see the completion of this project in Shawnee County.  This project was a very competitive process and the citizens of Topeka and Shawnee County thank Coca-Cola for their continued support and commitment to the people and the economic well being of our community,” stated Ted Ensley, Chairman of the Shawnee County Commission. 

“I’m happy to invite the many people involved in the process of making our new Topeka Coca-Cola Sales and Distribution Facility a reality to join me and see what an amazing end result all of their hard work, commitment and dedication has brought,” stated Mike Berry, Topeka Coca-Cola Distribution and Sales Facility Manager.