Coca-Cola Hellenic and ContourGlobal have inaugurated an advanced energy saving power plant in Romania as part of an initiative to slash annual CO2 emissions across all of Coca-Cola Hellenic's operations by more than 20%.

The Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant, constructed in partnership with power development company ContourGlobal, is installed at the Coca-Cola Hellenic bottling facility in the city of Ploiesti. It is the first of 15 plants that Coca-Cola Hellenic has pledged to build in 12 countries, including eight European Union Member States.

"The opening of the CHP plant represents a milestone to ensure the sustainable development of our operations, and of the communities we serve," said Mr. Doros Constantinou, Chief Executive Officer of Coca Cola Hellenic.

"Across all of our 28 territories we have been working to increase efficiencies and reduce CO2 emissions, the main culprit in climate change," he said.

Joseph Brandt, President and Chief Executive Officer of ContourGlobal, stated, "Producing consumer products sustainably is one of the key challenges of our time. Through our partnership with Coca-Cola Hellenic, we have recombined existing technologies to create an innovative energy facility at Coca-Cola Hellenic's bottling plant in Romania. Our CHP plant is highly energy efficient and substantially reduces CO2 emissions. We are proud that Coca-Cola Hellenic chose ContourGlobal to develop and operate these innovative facilities throughout Europe and Africa."

The development of the Ploiesti plant follows a pilot project in Hungary in 2006 which reduced CO2 emissions by 43%, equivalent to a 20% reduction across all 80 beverage production plants, well ahead of the 2020 deadline for emission reductions set by the European Union.

Speaking at the official opening, Professor Geoffrey Boulton, Regius Professor in the University of Edinburgh and a member of the UK Prime Minister's Council for Science and Technology said, "...there could be a global average temperature increase of about 4o C by the end of the century. This may not seem much, but it doubles the global warming from the last ice age to the present."

Professor Boulton, who chairs the Energy Committee of the Royal Society (the world's oldest national science academy) and is very active in European Union preparations for the landmark climate summit in Copenhagen, continued, "Coca-Cola Hellenic is taking responsibility and leadership by collaborating with a technology company ContourGlobal in reducing emissions. It represents an early step in responding to what is probably the most difficult challenge that the human race has ever collectively had to face, that of global climate and planetary sustainability."

The CHP plant supplies highly efficient, clean electricity as well as heat and cooling for the soft drink production facility. At the same time, clean electricity is delivered to the local grid, providing energy efficient power for the surrounding community in Ploiesti.

Coca-Cola Hellenic and ContourGlobal will open up to three plants more this year with others following in 2010 and beyond.

Another newly introduced feature of the facility in Ploiesti is an intelligent, fully automated, mega High-Bay warehouse which is the first of its kind in Romania. The system takes palletised products from the six production lines via a conveyor and allows for storage and retrieval of stock using eleven automated cranes.

The on-site storage facility heightens efficiency and also provides Coca-Cola Hellenic with the flexibility to expand capacity as its business further develops.

About Coca-Cola Hellenic
Coca-Cola Hellenic is one of the world's largest bottlers of products of The Coca-Cola Company with sales of more than 2 billion unit cases. It has broad geographic reach with operations in 28 countries serving a population of approximately 560 million people. Coca-Cola Hellenic offers a diverse range of ready-to-drink non-alcoholic beverages in the sparkling, juice, water, sport, energy, tea and coffee categories. Coca-Cola Hellenic is committed to promoting sustainable development in order to create value for its business and for society. This includes providing products that meet the beverage needs of consumers, fostering an open and inclusive work environment, conducting business in ways that protect and preserve the environment and contribute to the socio-economic development of local communities.

Coca-Cola Hellenic's shares are listed on the Athens Exchange (ATHEX: EEEK), with a secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: CCB). Coca-Cola Hellenic’s American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CCH). Coca-Cola Hellenic is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability and FTSE4Good Indexes. For more information, please visit www.coca-colahellenic.com

About ContourGlobal
ContourGlobal develops and operates electric and combined heat and power businesses around the world for governments and multinational companies. The Company focuses on high-growth, under-served markets and innovative niches within developed markets such as renewable energy and Combined Heat and Power (CHP). The Company consists of eleven businesses in operation and construction on four continents with approximately 1,000 MW of generating capacity and an active pipeline of new development business totaling 10,000 MW.

Reservoir Capital Group is a privately held investment firm with approximately $4 billion under management and is ContourGlobal's controlling shareholder.

Coca-Cola HBC

Coca-Cola HBC

Coca-Cola HBC is the second-largest bottler of the brands of The Coca-Cola Company in terms of volume with sales of more than 2 billion unit cases. It has a broad geographic footprint with operations in 28 countries serving a population of approximately 585 million people. Coca-Cola HBC offers a diverse range of non-alcoholic ready to drink beverages in the sparkling, juice, water, sport, energy, tea and coffee categories. Coca-Cola HBC is committed to promoting sustainable development in order to create value for its business and for society. This includes providing products that meet the beverage needs of consumers, fostering an open and inclusive work environment, conducting its business in ways that protect and preserve the environment and contribute to the socio-economic development of the local communities.

 

Coca-Cola HBC has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: CCH) and its shares are listed on the Athens Exchange (ATHEX: EEE). Coca-Cola HBC’s American depositary shares (ADSs) are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CCH). Coca-Cola HBC is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability and FTSE4Good Indexes. For more information, please visit www.coca-colahellenic.com.

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