Dr Pepper Snapple Group opens manufacturing and distribution facility in California

Dr Pepper Snapple Group's new manufacturing and distribution facility in the Victorville, Calif., is now operational. Located at the Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA), the 850,000-square-foot beverage manufacturing and distribution hub is the largest construction/manufacturing project completed in San Bernardino County, the largest county in California and one of the largest in the country. The facility is bringing more than 200 new jobs to the region.

"The opening of this landmark facility is a testament to the pro-business climate we have worked to create in the City of Victorville," said Keith Metzler, City of Victorville, director of economic development. "This project represents a positive development amidst the backdrop of a challenging Southern California economy and will pave the way for additional high-caliber corporations to follow DPS's lead and locate their operations in Victorville."

The facility serves as the company's Western manufacturing and distribution hub, bringing up to 40 million cases of product to California and parts of the Southwest. Expected to qualify for LEED certification, the facility houses a 550,000-square-foot beverage distribution center, five filling lines, office space and state-of-the-art beverage processing and support systems. It manufactures soft drink and juice brands such as Snapple, A&W Root Beer, Schweppes, Squirt, RC Cola, Mott's, 7UP and Hawaiian Punch.

"The City of Victorville has created an environment in which we are well-positioned to thrive in the Western Region," said Larry Young, president and CEO of DPS. "The delivery of this state-of-the-art facility will allow us to offer a high level of customer service and grow our business."

The completion of this project follows the execution of a minimum nine-year lease by Plastipak Packaging, Inc., a global leader in product packaging, to occupy a 260,000 square-foot LEED-certified industrial building at SCLA. The company will supply the plastic containers for DPS's manufacturing facility as well as other major consumer product manufacturers. Plastipak's existing customers include Procter & Gamble, Pepsi, Kraft Foods, Kroger and Tropicana.

"The relocation and expansion of DPS and Plastipak have laid the foundation for a vibrant industry cluster for the food and beverage industry in Victorville," said Metzler. "We have successfully delivered the infrastructure to serve the industry's leading suppliers, manufacturers and distributors."

Victorville has also completed construction of a $30 million wastewater treatment plant capable of safely treating and discharging the DPS facility's wastewater. The city is also delivering approximately $6 million in new roads and infrastructure for the DPS facility. The city is also delivering approximately $6 million in new roads and infrastructure for the DPS facility.

Dr Pepper Snapple Group joins notable Southern California Logistics Airport tenants including Newell Rubbermaid and GE Transportation.

About Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Dr Pepper Snapple Group is the leading producer of flavored beverages in North America and the Caribbean. The company’s success is fueled by more than 50 brands that are synonymous with refreshment, fun and flavor. It has six of the top 10 non-cola soft drinks, and nine of its 12 "power brands" are No. 1 in their flavor categories. In addition to the flagship Dr Pepper and Snapple brands, the group’s portfolio includes Sunkist soda, 7UP, A&W, Canada Dry, Crush, Mott's, Squirt, Hawaiian Punch, Penafiel, Clamato, Schweppes, Venom Energy, Rose's and Mr & Mrs T mixers.