Coca-Cola is to close its manufacturing and distribution plant in Drogheda, Co Louth with the loss of 256 jobs, the company announced today.
In a statement, the Coca-Cola Company said it had today informed workers at the Drogheda Concentrates plant that the operation will close in September 2008.
Coca-Cola is closing its Drogheda plant.
It said its "high-capacity" plant in Ballina, along with a specialised plant in Athy, are sufficient to meet the current and future demand for its products.
"The closure of the Drogheda Concentrates facility will result in a reduction of 256 positions, including six from the separate Shared Services organisation," the statement said.
It added that some affected employees at the Drogheda plant would have the opportunity to move to either Athy or Ballina.
"Currently, there are 60 employees in Athy and 279 in Ballina. Between the two, these numbers will increase by approximately 90 new positions.
"Also, 112 Shared Services employees will remain in Drogheda, providing services to the Coca-Cola business system worldwide, including the two remaining Irish plants," the company said.
Drogheda Concentrates general manager Hugo Reidy said the company would continue to have a "significant presence" in Drogheda and remained committed to Ireland as a business location.
"Over the last 30 years, the employees in the Drogheda plant have made a very valuable contribution to the Coca-Cola business," he said
"The company will be offering a generous redundancy and early retirement package together with financial advice, job search, re-training and business start-up assistance for the employees affected. We are going into a period of consultation with the employee representatives on the redundancies which we are proposing to make."
Mr Reidy added that the company had enjoyed a "warm relationship" with the people and businesses of Drogheda.
"With a significant presence remaining in Drogheda, the company will continue to play an active role in the local community. We also will engage with the community to identify initiatives that will benefit the town for the long term."
He added: "With approximately 540 jobs in the concentrate business, the company remains committed to Ireland as a business location, and the country continues to play an important strategic role in supporting the growth of The Coca-Cola Company."
The TEEU union's regional secretary Arthur Hall said the decision to close the plant was "corporate greed at its worst".
"This is a highly profitable operation and it has not lost a day of production in disputes for well over a decade. The only reason why it is moving its main production to Ballina, that I can see, is that it has a non-unionised workforce there and can ensure less of its profits stay in the local economy." he said.
"To borrow Coca Cola's own slogan, things are certainly not going to be better for Drogheda after this."