Cameron Coca-Cola
Encyclopedia
Cameron Coca-Cola Bottling Co. was a large Coca-Cola Bottling company in Washington, Pennsylvania
.
The company was founded in 1889 as Cameron Flavorings. In the early 1900s, the company began a relationship with Coca-Cola. The company had plants in Washington, Pennsylvania
, Houston, Pennsylvania
, Wheeling, West Virginia
, and Canton, Ohio
.
In 1996, the company's facilities were converted to natural gas
with a $124,000 grant by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
.
The company operated by purchasing the syrup from Coca-Cola, mixed it, and distributed it to the surrounding areas. By the late 1990s, Cameron Coca Cola was 10th largest Coke bottler and the second longest family-run Coke bottler in the nation.
The company had a number of deals with local school districts where they paid thousands of dollars for exclusive rights to sell Coke on school premises. The deal with Hampton Township School District
paid the district $40,000 over the seven years. The deal with Upper St. Clair School District
paid the district $50,000 over five years. In the deal with Quaker Valley School District
, Cameron agreed to buy several new scoreboards in exchange for the right to have their logo on the scoreboard and for exclusive rights to sell Coke on school premises. There was another exclusive deal with Woodland Hills School District
.
Cameron Coca-Cola sponsored championship harness racing
at The Meadows Racetrack and Casino
. The company was also a namesake sponsor of the Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Fair.
The Cameron family have been closely connected to Washington & Jefferson College
in Washington, Pennsylvania
for several decade. A number of Camerons attended the college, with three individuals serving on the Board of Trustees. Winnie Cameron, who served on the board of trustees, has been awarded the Alumni Distinguished Service Award and an honorary degree.
In 1999, the family donated $2.65 million dollars, one of the top 5 donations in the college history, to redesign and expand College Field, which was renamed Cameron Stadium
. They also funded the digital scoreboard at Henry Memorial Center
and Ross Memorial Park and Alexandre Stadium
. In 2006, the family was awarded the Robert M. Murphy Award and inducted into the W&J Athletic Hall of Fame.
, the largest Coke bottling company in the world. The deal, which coincided with the purchase of five other Coke bottlers, was part of a play by Coca-Cola Enterprises to consolidate Coke's distribution chain amid the Cola Wars
against Pepsi
. All told, the six deals cost Coca-Cola Enterprises $770 million in stock, cash, debt, and assumed debt.
and was re-christened the Cameron Family Glass Packaging LLC, with the goal of producing wine bottles for the wine industry in the Western United States. There, the company built a wine bottling plant in Washington State. The 175000 square feet (16,258 m²) facility, which cost $109M to build, became the first new glass plant to exclusively produce wine bottles built in the nation in over 30 years. It became the largest such plant to be operated on an "eco-friendly" basis, with hydroelectric-powered electric furnace using the Northwest waterways of the Columbia River
. The plant provided wine bottles for a number of Washington wine
s prior to filing for bankruptcy.
The "eco-friendly" process in which bottles were created was considered by some to have led to the melter accident that led to the shutdown and eventual bankruptcy of Cameron Family Glass Packaging LLC.
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
.
The company was founded in 1889 as Cameron Flavorings. In the early 1900s, the company began a relationship with Coca-Cola. The company had plants in Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
, Houston, Pennsylvania
Houston, Pennsylvania
Houston is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,314 at the 2000 census.Students in Houston and neighboring Chartiers Township attend school in the Chartiers-Houston School District.-Geography:...
, Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, and Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
In 1996, the company's facilities were converted to natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
with a $124,000 grant by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection was established on July 1, 1995, is the agency in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania responsible for protecting and preserving the land, air, water, and energy resources through enforcement of the State's environmental laws...
.
The company operated by purchasing the syrup from Coca-Cola, mixed it, and distributed it to the surrounding areas. By the late 1990s, Cameron Coca Cola was 10th largest Coke bottler and the second longest family-run Coke bottler in the nation.
The company had a number of deals with local school districts where they paid thousands of dollars for exclusive rights to sell Coke on school premises. The deal with Hampton Township School District
Hampton Township School District
Hampton Township School District may mean either of* Hampton Township School District * Hampton Township School District...
paid the district $40,000 over the seven years. The deal with Upper St. Clair School District
Upper St. Clair School District
The Upper St Clair School District is a public school district serving the Pittsburgh suburb of Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania. The district features three elementary schools for grades K-4: Albert F. Baker Elementary, Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary, and Carl R. Streams Elementary. The school...
paid the district $50,000 over five years. In the deal with Quaker Valley School District
Quaker Valley School District
The Quaker Valley School District is a school district covering the Boroughs of Sewickley, Leetsdale, Edgeworth, Osborne, Sewickley Hills, Sewickley Heights, Bell Acres, Haysville, Glenfield, as well as the townships of Leet and Aleppo Townships in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania...
, Cameron agreed to buy several new scoreboards in exchange for the right to have their logo on the scoreboard and for exclusive rights to sell Coke on school premises. There was another exclusive deal with Woodland Hills School District
Woodland Hills School District
Woodland Hills School District is a public school district located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, serving twelve municipalities in the Pittsburgh area; Braddock, Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, East Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Forest Hills, North Braddock, Rankin, Swissvale, Turtle Creek and...
.
Cameron Coca-Cola sponsored championship harness racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
at The Meadows Racetrack and Casino
The Meadows Racetrack and Casino
The Meadows Racetrack and Casino is a standardbred harness racing track and slot machine casino in North Strabane Township near Meadow Lands, Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States. The facility is located between U.S...
. The company was also a namesake sponsor of the Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Fair.
Family and philanthropy
The patriarch of the Cameron Family, Wilfred Cameron, died in 1999.The Cameron family have been closely connected to Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
in Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
for several decade. A number of Camerons attended the college, with three individuals serving on the Board of Trustees. Winnie Cameron, who served on the board of trustees, has been awarded the Alumni Distinguished Service Award and an honorary degree.
In 1999, the family donated $2.65 million dollars, one of the top 5 donations in the college history, to redesign and expand College Field, which was renamed Cameron Stadium
Cameron Stadium
Cameron Stadium is an outdoor football stadium adjacent to the campus of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania.-Facilities and amenities:Located one mile from campus...
. They also funded the digital scoreboard at Henry Memorial Center
Henry Memorial Center
The Henry Memorial Center is a multi-purpose collegiate sports complex on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College. It houses two main athletic facilities, a gymnasium and a natatorium. The Henry Memorial Center also has an auxiliary basketball gym court, two handball courts, a wrestling...
and Ross Memorial Park and Alexandre Stadium
Ross Memorial Park and Alexandre Stadium
Ross Memorial Park and Alexandre Stadium is a combined multi-purpose outdoor athletic facility in North Franklin Township, Pennsylvania owned by Washington & Jefferson College. The playing surface is made of FieldTurf, like the college's football stadium, Cameron Stadium...
. In 2006, the family was awarded the Robert M. Murphy Award and inducted into the W&J Athletic Hall of Fame.
Sale to Coca-Cola Enterprises in 1998
In 1998, Cameron Coca-Cola Bottling was purchased by Coca-Cola EnterprisesCoca-Cola Enterprises
Coca-Cola Enterprises is a marketer, producer, and distributor of Coca-Cola products. It is the anchor bottler for Western Europe, and was formerly the anchor bottler for most of North America....
, the largest Coke bottling company in the world. The deal, which coincided with the purchase of five other Coke bottlers, was part of a play by Coca-Cola Enterprises to consolidate Coke's distribution chain amid the Cola Wars
Cola wars
The Cola Wars are a campaign of mutually-targeted television advertisements and marketing campaigns since the 1980s between soft drink manufacturers Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo Incorporated.- Competition :...
against Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
. All told, the six deals cost Coca-Cola Enterprises $770 million in stock, cash, debt, and assumed debt.
Later operations
Following the sale, the Cameron operation moved to Kalama, WashingtonKalama, Washington
Kalama is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. It is part of the 'Longview, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 2,344 at the 2010 census.-History:...
and was re-christened the Cameron Family Glass Packaging LLC, with the goal of producing wine bottles for the wine industry in the Western United States. There, the company built a wine bottling plant in Washington State. The 175000 square feet (16,258 m²) facility, which cost $109M to build, became the first new glass plant to exclusively produce wine bottles built in the nation in over 30 years. It became the largest such plant to be operated on an "eco-friendly" basis, with hydroelectric-powered electric furnace using the Northwest waterways of the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
. The plant provided wine bottles for a number of Washington wine
Washington Wine
Washington wine is wine produced from grape varieties grown in the U.S. state of Washington. Washington ranks second in the United States in the production of wine, behind only California. By 2006, the state had over of vineyards, a harvest of of grapes, and exports going to over 40 countries...
s prior to filing for bankruptcy.
The "eco-friendly" process in which bottles were created was considered by some to have led to the melter accident that led to the shutdown and eventual bankruptcy of Cameron Family Glass Packaging LLC.