Coca-Cola expanding its West Memphis facility 

Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated, the maker, bottler and distributor of Coca-Cola products to 14 states in the Mid-South, will expand its West Memphis production facility and transfer up to 60 jobs there, nearly doubling its workforce, according to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.

The firm’s separate Memphis transportation and logistics facility will remain in Memphis, according to the company, where it currently employs about 300.

“When an iconic American company like Coca-Cola continues to invest in Arkansas, we know we’re doing things right,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson said. “Jobs for skilled workers that pay higher wages are important to the Delta, and we applaud Coca-Cola for making the right choice for workforce, community and location.”

Mayor Marco McClendon said, “Coca-Cola has been a valued business partner in this community for a number of years, and we are excited they have chosen to expand in West Memphis.”

The company will invest $33 million into the 200,000-square-foot expansion. The move was driven by the need to grow the facility and the lack of industrial space at its facility, which will reportedly close in late 2020, the company reported. What types of jobs and how much those jobs pay was not immediately released by the company.

“This expansion is welcome news for our partners in West Memphis and Crittenden County, the crossroads for the U.S. transportation industry,” said Arkansas Economic Development Commission Executive Director Mike Preston. “We look forward to working with Coca-Cola to finalize the details for more jobs and millions of dollars of investment.”