BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (WTXL) — Bainbridge's Coca-Cola bottling plant will close in April.
All 39 employees will keep their jobs, and can still work for Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, just not in Bainbridge. They can chose to work out of the sales center in Tallahassee, Dothan, Alabama or Sylvester, Georgia.
Andy Britton is the director of public affairs for Coca-Cola bottling company United. He says they acquired the Bainbridge facility and a few others across the south, a little over two years ago.
Since then, they've been reviewing the entire system, and they recently determined that closing the Bainbridge location was the best option.
"A key element in this decision was ensuring that all of our Bainbridge associates would be offered positions in Dothan, Tallahassee or Sylvester," Britton said. "Our customers will not be impacted and this transaction is expected to be seamless."
The last day of operation will be April 24, and employees who choose to stay with the company will begin working at their new location on April 27.
Britton says they have until Friday to decide where they want to work.
After April 24, the property will be listed for sale, but the sale price has not been determined.
Rick McCaskal, the director of Economic Development for the City of Bainbridge, says he doesn't expect this closing to have much of an economic or financial impact on the city itself.
He sees it as an opportunity for another business to come in and create more jobs for locals.
