business backgrounder | industry
Bottling Success
You see a can of Pepsi. We see a manufacturing success
story that generates jobs not only at the Pepsi plant, but
also around the region.
Kelly Kearsley
A can of Pepsi is just the end product of a very long, complex and vital manufacturing process that supports
thousands of jobs in Washington state. Pepsi Northwest Beverage shows how supply-chain partnerships
make manufacturing one of the state’s top industries.
When you sip a Pepsi with your lunch, you’re probably
not thinking about much more than quenching your
thirst or getting an afternoon caffeine boost.
But consider this: If you live in the Northwest, that
soda was most likely produced by a Tumwater-based
manufacturing company that not only creates hundreds
of jobs in its own plants, but also relies on products
and services from dozens of other local and regional
companies.
The company, Pepsi Northwest Beverage, illustrates
the significant economic effect manufacturers have on
the state’s economy. In fact, manufacturers generate
$1.40 in the supply chain for each dollar’s worth of
manufactured products they create.
“Manufacturing is the beginning of the supply chain and the beginning of job creation,”
said Brad Bogan, general manager of Pepsi
Northwest Beverage’s Tumwater plant.
In fact, the industry is playing a significant role in Washington’s economic recovery,
accounting for a third of all the jobs created
last year. But despite the growth, manufacturers still face some significant challenges,
especially when it comes to finding skilled
workers.
a cooperative approach
“Manufacturing is the beginning of the supply chain
and the beginning of job creation.”
— Brad Bogan, Tumwater plant general manager, Pepsi Northwest Beverage.
40 association of washington business
Tucked inside a Tumwater industrial park, the
Pepsi Northwest Beverage plant is 400,000
square feet of manufacturing magic. Thousands
of new, empty bottles whiz by on overhead
conveyor lines