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COCA-COLA HAS announced the closure of its plant in Athy, Co Kildare, which will result in the loss of 82 jobs.
Following a review of concentrate manufacturing, Coca-Cola is proposing the transfer of production from its Athy plant to its high-capacity facility at Ballina Beverages in Co Mayo.
The company confirmed that 43 of the Athy jobs will be transferred to Ballina, and employees in Athy will have the option to transfer.
In a statement, Coca-Cola said it will “commence a period of consultation with employee representatives at Athy International Concentrates”.
Coca-Cola said it is proposing that Athy International Concentrates will close on a phased basis from September 2018 to December 2019.
“If the transfer goes ahead and the Athy plant closes, in addition to a redundancy package, the company will be providing supports including financial advice, job search and re-training for the employees affected,” the statement said.
“We also have enjoyed an extremely positive relationship with the local community and we will continue to engage with them on community initiatives that will benefit the town for the long-term.”
Allan Shine, CEO of County Kildare Chamber said that the announcement of the job losses is “extremely disappointing”.
“We have been in touch with Athy Concentrates this afternoon to offer our support for the employees who this afternoon received this shocking news,” Shine said.
“We will offer a wide range of supports to the company and its employees over the forthcoming weeks but our immediate thoughts are with those affected by today’s news,” he said.
Together with its bottling partner, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, the Coca-Cola system employs approximately 1,600 people in Ireland.
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You can thank Leo and his sugar tax for that one.
@techman: Increased income for the state, reduced level of sugar consumption, and 43 jobs created for West of Ireland. I’ll thank Leo, brilliant news!
@techman: No you can’t.
@Pat Bateman: once
@UK Hurling Bloke: typo.
I meant it’s either increased tax intake
or sugar lower sugar consumption
You don’t get both at the same time.
People buy less sugary drinks => less tax comes in
@techman: BS. Coca Cola are constantly consolidating their business due to modern production methods. I worked with them for about 7 years. They are constantly changing as all companies do to stay competitive. Unions are not the priority of any private sector company, nor can they. Otherwise they’d end up like the Civil service. Overstaffed and overpaid.
@Pat Bateman: You good at Maths bro? They are closing a plants resulting in the loss of 82 jobs, 42 will be transferred, so may not go more job losses. 0 created from that.
@Dave.: the 82 jobs that are going to be lost are in Athy (Kildare), the 43 that are being created (with first refusal for the Athy lads) will be in Ballina (Mayo). That does mean job creation for the west (at a cost to the east).
@Dave.: I’m good at maths Bro. 3 hour commute each way from Athy to Ballina means it’s highly unlikely people will decide to transfer to Ballina. So like I said, it will create jobs in the west.
@Pat Bateman: ehh can they not move house to follow the job. Lots of people relocate fpr work purposes.
@Michael Fehily: you obviously never worked in the lower grades in the Civil Service look up the starting pay of a Clerical Officer and get back to me. 18 years to get tp the top of that scale!
@GerryCummins: Ehhhh they can yes, but its still creating a job in the West, regardless of who decides to fill that vacancy.
@Pat Bateman: idiot
@Brian harris: Are you going to point out a flaw in my point? Or are you just going to name call?
@UK Hurling Bloke: I have absolutely no idea why my reply to you has been deleted.
@Pat Bateman: is it possible to dislike comments?
@Ellen Breen: No, that feature was removed years ago
@GerryCummins: I actually did work as a clerical assistant at the age of 17 when I left school. I left , The work was quite honestly boring . I enjoyed the constant coffee breaks , morning and afternoon , and of the flexitime and overtime,,,None of which exist in the private sector. The really frustrating thing was when I was working in the civil service , there a number of lazy individuals who simply got away with doing nothing all day. Another phenomenon which wouldn’t happen in the private sector..
Ah sure Leo will get 40million a year out of his tax. The people that lost their jobs are just collaterol damage.
@colm mc sweeney: But there is new jobs being created also?
@colm mc sweeney: nothing to do with sugar tax for a variety of reasons you can’t see
@Pat Bateman: I’m not saying this has anything to do with the new sugar tax , they may be creating 43 new jobs in Mayo , but they are making 82 people redundant in kildare .
Even Leo’s spin team would have struggled spinning that into a positive .
@colm mc sweeney: Did you actually read the article Colm. Nothing to do with the sugar tax, but hey, don’t let the facts get in the way for empty rhetoric and complete lack of thought.
@Clinton Baptiste: Unfortunately Leo or his Spin team don’t have control over the operational decisions that private companies make
@Pat Bateman: If only they would remember that , when some company announces that it’s creating jobs .
@Pat Bateman: What Planet are you on , Planet Leo ,, how muc are you being paid to sput this crap, are you a member of FG ?
Thankfully Leo and his Spin team dont have controll over private companies .. If they did, they would over-staff the company, be overpaying people and compaanies would run at a loss, which would have to paid by the Tax Payer
@Irish Bob: Planet Earth, €0 and no. What part of what I said do you take issue with?
I work for coke and I can tell you this was on the cards for a long time. People in athy were shocked that drogheda plant closed before them 10 years ago. Their is no one there that will be shocked with this news. It has zero to do with the sugar tax or the government
@Dec: Has it got to do with Coke zero then ?
Don’t keep us in suspense .
For all those who advocate higher taxes on business it should be noted that Coca Cola manufacture their concentrate in Ireland only because of our low taxes. The concentrate is then sold to Coca Cola abroad. That allows Coca Cola to say the profit is made in Ireland as it is the secret recipe that makes the profit. These profits are then taxed in Ireland. If we increase taxes every single job involved in the concentrate part of Coca Cola will leave. Then Ireland will buy the concentrate from abroad add water (and less sugar) and sell it making no profit in Ireland and pay no tax. So net Ireland would lose jobs and tax income
Sugar tax on drinks are just a precursor for further taxes in the name of our health.. FFG will continue to rape the people to ensure the bankers gambling debts are payed off..
@Willy Malone: What an utter crock of absolute tripe.
@Willy Malone: what gamble it was a 100% certainty that the blackmailed government would dump the bill on the taxpayer. The Ponzi money system has restarted again not one change. Still making up money that doesn’t exist. And when it collapses again you better pay us higher taxes and hand over your assets or there will be no (made up) money at the ATMs for nurses and teachers.
No photo op for heather humphries at this bad news story but she will no doubt pop up in mayo to announce the new jobs.
Let’s hear from the indies on this one roll on elections
Things don’t go better with coke!
Work for Coke what do you expect. Work for tobacco what do you expect, work for oil… and so on through all the industries that leech us, insurance, pharma, and blah blah the list is endless… get a state job!
Instead of a can of Coke kids can scoff Haribo jellies
Same sugar kick without the cost
Absolute nonsense tax
cheaper places i’d imagine
have your say