Atlanta, October 28: Coca-Cola Co. plans to cut another 900 jobs, mostly at bottling plants in Asia, according to a published report. The cuts are in addition to 1,900 jobs that the world's biggest soft drink company said it would cut earlier this year, Coca-Cola spokesman Ben Deutsch told the Atlanta journal-Constitution for a story today.
Earlier this year, Atlanta-based Coke said it planned to eliminate 1,000 jobs in North America and 900 in Germany.
The combined cuts of 2,800 jobs represent about 5 percent of its worldwide work force.
"During the third quarter of 2003, management further reviewed all worldwide operations to improve our overall efficiency and effectiveness,'' the company reportedly said in a filing yesterday with the securities exchange commission.
As of September 30, about 1,600 workers had already been laid off, according to the document. The company expects to generate at least USD 50 illion in pretax cost savings this year and at least USD 100 million beginning next year as a result of the additional cuts.
However, there will be some initial costs involved: involuntary terminations, relocating certain employees, asset write-offs and other items will cost about USD 500 million. About USD 272 million of those expenses has been recognized, with the rest to be recorded during the fourth quarter.
Bureau Report