HOUSTON – Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages has announced it will build a new production and distribution facility in Houston.

The facility is expected to include manufacturing with five new production lines, distribution, warehouse and sales, which will enable Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, a company of Arca Continental, to better serve the southeast Texas market, according to a release from the company.

"This significant investment confirms Arca Continental's commitment for the sustainable creation of value in all the markets we serve and is a reflection of the confidence in our company's ability to continue perfecting its performance, serving its customers with excellence and anticipate the needs of consumers," said Manuel L. Barragan Morales, chairman of the board of directors of Arca Continental.

The project is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2020, according to the company.

"Coca-Cola has a long, rich history in Houston," said Mark Schortman, president of Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages. "As a local bottler, we've been serving customers, consumers and communities in Texas for more than 100 years. We are committed to supporting future growth in the region, one of the fastest-growing markets in the U.S."

The plant will enhance operations in the region by consolidating production from two of the company's legacy facilities and four distribution centers in Houston, according to the company.

"The productivity, efficiency and sustainability that this new plant will bring to beverage production in the U.S. Coca-Cola system confirms our company's determination to improve its competitiveness, service at the point of sale and expansion of our portfolio always in a profitable and sustainable way," said Francisco Garza Egloff, chief executive officer of Arca Continental.

The $250 million plant will be the first new Coca-Cola plant built in the U.S. in a decade, according to the company.