Nestlé Waters invests 200 million euros in Perrier bottling plant in France | Progresiv
Nestlé Waters has unveiled ‘an ambitious plan’ to increase production and create jobs at its Perrier bottling site in France, alongside investment totalling 200 million euros. 
As part of the Perrier Cap 2020 plan, the company will build a 100,000-square-metre production unit, fitted out with five new bottling lines, which take the total for the site up to 14. The goal is to produce two billion bottles of the sparkling mineral water a year by 2020.
Nestlé Waters’ investment at the plant – near Perrier’s source in Vergèze, southern France – will help boost capacity of Perrier’s PET, glass and can formats. The products will be distributed both domestically and for export overseas.
“The Perrier Cap 2020 plan reflects the extraordinary ambition of a French success story to create jobs, transform the plant and work together with local stakeholders to produce two billion bottles in 2020,” a Nestlé spokesperson told FoodBev.
“As part of the plan, nearly 200 jobs have already been created over the past two years to ensure a solid workforce at our site for future production needs. About 40,000 hours of training each year are being offered to new employees to develop their technical skills, with an emphasis on ‘product quality and safety for all’. We are also collaborating with other companies in the Gard departement to set up an employers’ group with the aim of improving staff employability.”
The company said it would increasingly turn to rail transport for the distribution of its producing, helping reduce its environmental impact and supporting sustainable development.
It will also enhance access to the plant at Vergèze and improve traffic flow, making it increasingly safe for the site’s employees.
Nestlé recently outlined its model for growth, and revealed a 20.8 billion dollars share buyback scheme following pressure from new hedge fund investors Third Point. (www.foodbev.com)
