DCOA approves assistance up to $1.12 million to Coca Cola plant in Abilene
January 10, 2012
Bottler vying for deal with Monster drink
By Jaime Adame
Expected plant upgrades at the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Abilene will be paid for in part with public funds, as the Development Corporation of Abilene at its meeting Tuesday approved assistance of up to $1.12 million to be disbursed over three years.
The assistance — along with $500,000 previously approved in February 2009 but never spent when an upgrade project was placed on hold — represents about 10 percent of the expected cost of about $9.3 million for an expanded syrup room and about $6.9 million to allow the plant to take on the packing of Monster Energy Drink.
"We weren't the only plant in Texas being considered" for the Monster processing line, said Buddy Moore, plant manager, in an interview.
While he said the decision about packaging Monster in Abilene isn't yet final, he said the "10 percent relief" offer has helped to persuade the company to consider Abilene — and he said he expects to hire more employees should the Monster processing line come to Abilene, though he couldn't say how many workers would be added.
The plant on State Highway 351 is a part of Coca-Cola Refreshments USA, which has 312 workers in Abilene.
© 2012 Scripps Newspaper Group — Online
