Coca-Cola Division Takes Stake in Greek Recycling Plant

Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Co. has acquired a 10 percent stake in the Greek company Filia Environmental Industries S.A., which opened a PET recycling plant in Filiates of Thesprotia, Greece. Coca-Cola Hellenic operates in 28 countries and had sales of more than 2 billion unit cases in 2012.

Coca-Cola Hellenic says the investment is part of the company’s environmental strategy of using recycled raw materials in its production process.

"This is the largest plastic recycling plant in Greece. PET is one of our key raw materials in our supply chain. This investment reflects our commitment to Greece and the local communities in which we operate" says Vassilis Lollas, public affairs and communications manager of Coca-Cola Tria Epsilon, Greece. "In addition, this investment demonstrates our commitment in protecting and preserving the environment."

The new facility will process and recycle used PET to produce 100 percent recycled plastic flake.

The Greek PET recycling facility has been designed to produce around 12,000 metric tons of used PET bottles per year.

The Coca-Cola Hellenic group has partnered on 19 packaging recovery schemes that in 2012 collected and recycled close to 13 million metric tons of packaging scrap.