Central Bottling Co, (Coca-Cola Israel) has bought a 140-dunam (35-acre) plot in the south Ashkelon industrial zone from the Israel Land Administration (ILA) and Ashkelon municipality for $8.4 million, or $60,000 per dunam ($240,000 per acre). ILA received $4 million and the Ashkelon Economic Co. $4.5 million for development costs. Coca-Cola Israel will build its new plant on the site, replacing its current Bnei Brak plant.
Coca-Cola Israel bought the land without an ILA tender, based on an assessor’s valuation, because the area is defined as a national priority. The compound is adjacent to Coca-Cola Israel’s Carlsberg beer plant.
Development work on the compound is now being completed, including roads, water and sewage pipes, and underground electrical and communications lines. 400 workers will build the plant, which will have 600 employees. Construction will probably begin in a month, and take 6-8 months.
Sources inform “Globes” that Coca-Cola Israel requested the sale of an adjacent 20-dunam (five-acre) compound to what it called an “accompanying developer”, referring to a manufacturer of products for the beverage industry. The name of the company and type of products was not disclosed. The developer will probably also buy the compound without a tender on similar terms for $1.2 million, including development costs.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on June 15, 2003