Oh Boy! Coca Cola to Close SA Manufacturing in 2019

Coca-Cola Amatil will close its manufacturing operations in South Australia in 2019.

The decision follows a review of its Australian supply chain that recommended increasing production in Queensland and Western Australia and ending manufacturing in SA.

Workers at the company's bottling plant in Thebarton in central Adelaide met on Wednesday morning to learn their jobs, about 180, will be lost.


In a statement, the company says its review found several barriers to expanding the Thebarton plant.

"Further development of our facility at Thebarton in South Australia was constrained by its CBD location, site layout, dated infrastructure and expensive logistics," CC Amatil Group Managing Director Alison Watkins said.

"This isn't a decision to be taken lightly, but we know it will be important for ensuring our position in the market into the future."

SA Manufacturing Minister Kyam Maher said the move was "exceptionally disappointing".

"Our first thoughts are with the workers and importantly their families. Many people have worked for many, many years at Coca-Cola," he told FiveAA radio.

He said the government would have liked the opportunity to speak with CC Amatil about consolidation possibilities in SA before the decision was made.

"In the lead up we had no discussions with Coca-Cola, they didn't talk with us," he said.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said manufacturing jobs must be safeguarded.

"Very sad day for workers at Coca-Cola factories in SA. Australia must stand up for manufacturing jobs," he posted on Twitter.