One of Coca Cola’s biggest analytics and technical innovation centers in India is closing down. The company plans to shut down the operations at Pirangut, Pune labs by December 2017, as step that comes as a part of restructuring that the largest beverage maker is planning to undergo to become a leaner organization.
In 2010, the company had set the Eurasia analytical services with an investment of Rs. 18 crores to support operations in India, South Asia, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Southern Eurasia. The center at Pune was created as a world class facility to offer analytical and technical support to enhance quality and food safety standards, drive innovation and enable a long term strategic growth.
But the company is now adopting strategies to restructure the businesses across the globe, and the decision to cease analytics operations at Pune is a move in this direction. This can also be touted as a move to consolidate Coca Cola’s lab facilities across the globe.
The company had earlier announced that it is designing new operating models to support their growth strategy with an aim to transform its business into a true total beverage company.
As for the analytics work that was done in Pune lab, the company reportedly said that it would be fulfilling majority of its analytical needs by using labs at its bottling operations or by leveraging third-party accredited analytical labs in India. Other labs in the country would also be extending additional support to compensate for analytics operations at Pune.
The company would also provide appropriate compensation to the impacted resources at Pune facility in India, which is apparently Coca Cola’s sixth largest market in the world, as per its policy and local laws.
