PepsiCo said Wednesday that it will close its beverage warehouses in Portland and Augusta, a decision that will affect 100 employees.
Most of the affected employees will be offered positions at other PepsiCo plants in the area, according to a statement from Gina Anderson, a PepsiCo spokeswoman. The company will provide outplacement services to those employees who are not offered or do not accept other positions, Anderson said.
At the Pepsi warehouse at 80 Anthony Ave. in Augusta, an employee outside the plant shortly after 5:30 p.m. declined to comment, saying all questions needed to be directed to management. A half dozen cars were in the back parking lot, and a few employees were visible behind a fence.
The warehouse is on 5.6 acres in the Augusta Business Park, which includes a mix of uses, including state agencies, J.S. McCarthy Printers, Time Warner Cable, the Kennebec Journal and several other businesses.
The land and building at 80 Anthony Ave. are assessed at $1.24 million and were bought by Bottling Group LLC of Dallas, Texas in 2004, according to the city of Augusta’s tax assessment records. The company paid $840,000 for the property.
PepsiCo also operates a beverage warehouse in Auburn, which will remain open. Anderson could not say how many total employees the company has in Maine.
Anderson would not confirm when the warehouses would close, but employees who spoke to WCSH 6 said they will close on Oct. 26.
“This difficult decision was made with careful consideration and PepsiCo continues to be dedicated to serving our customers and consumers in the area,” Anderson said. “This change allows us to improve efficiency, fund future investments and be more competitive.”
A look at PepsiCo’s second quarter financial statement reveals that it has been shedding facility-related overhead costs. On June 14, the company listed “property, plant and equipment” assets worth $18.2 billion, a 2 percent decrease from the $18.6 billion listed at the end of 2013.
The company also reported in a July 23 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it is implementing a 2014 productivity plan, which includes closing certain manufacturing facilities and reworking its distribution system.
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