Ball to Manufacture Reclosable Alumi-Tek(TM) Aluminum Beverage Bottles
May 23 2006 - 9:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
BROOMFIELD, Colo., May 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ball
Corporation (NYSE:BLL) and Universal Can Company (UCC), Tokyo,
Japan, announced today that they have entered into a licensing
agreement for Ball to manufacture and sell aluminum beverage
bottles. Ball is the first company to license this manufacturing
technology outside of Japan. (Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060523/LATUV001 ) Under the
agreement, Ball will use UCC's proven, commercial technology to
manufacture the Alumi-Tek(TM) bottle and will sell it in the United
States, Canada and Mexico. This reclosable aluminum beverage bottle
has been sold successfully in Japan, and is currently manufactured
there in sizes ranging from 310 ml (10.5 oz) to 410 ml (13.9 oz).
The light weight, recyclable package can be used for a wide variety
of beverages, such as carbonated soft drinks, juices, energy
drinks, and even coffee drinks and other beverages requiring retort
processing. Ball will be able to leverage its two-piece aluminum
beverage can manufacturing expertise to produce the Alumi-Tek(TM)
bottle because the manufacturing technology for both packages is
very similar. The bottles will also have the same high quality
graphics found on cans because they are decorated with the same
printing process. "This is a distinctive new package that adds the
convenience of reclosability to the list of well-known aluminum can
attributes, such as superior shelf life, tamper-resistance, the
ability to chill quickly and recyclability," said Ball's Michael D.
Herdman, president, metal beverage packaging division. "The
Alumi-Tek(TM) bottle is an excellent addition to our extensive
portfolio of specialty cans. We will work closely with our
customers to introduce it in ways that take advantage of its
functional benefits and unique look to attract attention on store
shelves." Universal Can Corporation, a specialized beverage can
manufacturer based in Tokyo, Japan, was founded October 1, 2005,
with the consolidation of parts of Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
and Hokkai Holdings, Inc. The company had sales of approximately 60
billion Japanese yen, or $545 million U.S., in the 2005 Japanese
fiscal year and employs approximately 800 people. Ball Corporation
is a supplier of high-quality metal and plastic packaging products
and owns Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Ball reported 2005
sales of $5.8 billion and employs 15,600 people worldwide.
Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains
"forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial
performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates"
and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking
statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties
which could cause actual results to differ materially from those
expressed or implied. The company undertakes no obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether
as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Key
risks and uncertainties are summarized in filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including in Exhibit 99.2 in
our Form 10-K. These filings are available at our Web site and at
http://www.sec.gov/. Factors that might affect our packaging
segments include fluctuation in consumer and customer demand and
preferences; availability and cost of raw materials, including
recent significant increases in resin, steel, aluminum and energy
costs, and the ability to pass such increases on to customers;
competitive packaging availability, pricing and substitution;
changes in climate and weather; fruit, vegetable and fishing
yields; industry productive capacity and competitive activity;
failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or
production cost reductions, including those associated with our
beverage can end project; the German mandatory deposit or other
restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier
contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; changes in
foreign exchange rates, tax rates and activities of foreign
subsidiaries; and the effect of LIFO accounting. Factors that might
affect our aerospace segment include: funding, authorization,
availability and returns of government contracts; and delays,
extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts.
Factors that might affect the company as a whole include those
listed plus: acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures;
integration of recently acquired businesses; regulatory action or
laws including tax, environmental and workplace safety;
governmental investigations; technological developments and
innovations; goodwill impairment; antitrust, patent and other
litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return projected
and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement
plans; changes to the company's pension plans; reduced cash flow;
interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results
due to statutory audits or other effects.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060523/LATUV001
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Ball Corporation CONTACT:
Investors, Ann. T. Scott, +1-303-460-3537, , or Media, Jennifer
Hoover, +1-303-460-5541, , both of Ball Corporation Web site:
http://www.ball.com/
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