BLL Ball Corp

Molson Cold Shots Packaged in New Eye-Catching Can From Ball BROOMFIELD, Colo., May 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- When Molson recently introduced its new slim package for Molson Cold Shots -- Molson Canadian, Molson Dry and Molson Ultra in a bold 8.4 ounce (250 ml.) can -- it called upon Ball Corporation , its long-time supplier of beverage cans and the largest maker of specialty cans. Ball makes the Molson Cold Shots cans in its Wallkill, N.Y., plant and they are shipped to Molson's Toronto brewery, where they are filled. The distinctive can is a unique, sleek size for premium beer and a first in Canada. "We turned to Ball to supply the can because of our long and successful relationship with Ball and because of Ball's expertise and capabilities manufacturing specialty cans," said Peter Amirault, senior vice president, business development and innovation, Molson. Specialty cans offer the benefits of the can -- quick chilling, go-anywhere portability and easy recycling -- in a variety of heights and diameters that can be custom tailored for specific kinds of beverages or for consumer segments. "We're thrilled with the early success of Molson Cold Shots," said Marty Ruffalo, senior vice president, beverage container sales, Ball. "The specialty can market continues to grow and offers exciting new possibilities for beer and beverage packaging." The new Molson package dovetails with the increasing popularity of cans. The can is the fastest growing packaging choice in the Canadian beer industry. Molson Dry Cold Shots are currently available in Quebec in an 8-can package. Molson Canadian Cold Shots are available in Ontario and Alberta in both 4-packs and 8-packs. Consumers in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia can pick up Molson Ultra in 8-can packages. To find out more about Ball's specialty cans in sizes from 5.5 ounces to 32 ounces, customers should contact Ball's Denise Rodgers in the United States at 303-460-5001. Ball Corporation is a leading supplier of high-quality packaging products and innovative packaging solutions to the beverage and food industries. The company also owns Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., which develops sophisticated sensors, spacecraft, systems and components for the government and commercial space markets. Ball employs 12,600 people worldwide and reported 2003 sales of $4.9 billion. Forward-Looking Statements The information in this news release contains "forward-looking" statements. Actual results or outcomes may differ materially from those expressed or implied. As time passes, the relevance and accuracy of forward-looking statements contained in this release may change. The company currently does not intend to update any particular forward-looking statement except as it deems necessary at quarterly or annual release of earnings. Please refer to the Form 10-K filed by Ball Corporation on March 12, 2004, for a summary of key risk factors that could affect actual results or outcomes. Factors that might affect the packaging segments of the company are: fluctuation in consumer and customer demand; competitive packaging material availability, pricing and substitution; the weather; fruit, vegetable and fishing yields; company and industry productive capacity and competitive activity; lack of productivity improvement or production cost reductions; regulatory action or laws, including the German mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws and environmental and workplace safety regulations; availability and cost of raw materials, energy and transportation; the ability or inability to pass on to customers changes in these costs, particularly resin, steel and aluminum; pricing and ability or inability to sell scrap; international business risks (including foreign exchange rates and tax rates) particularly in the United States, Europe and in developing countries such as China and Brazil; and the effect of LIFO accounting on earnings. Factors that may affect the aerospace segment are: funding, authorization and availability of government contracts and the nature and continuation of those contracts; and technical uncertainty associated with aerospace segment contracts. Factors that could affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: successful and unsuccessful acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures and the integration activities associated therewith including the integration and operation of the business of Ball Packaging Europe; the number and timing of the purchases of the company's common stock; insufficient or reduced cash flow; regulatory action or laws including those related to corporate governance and financial reporting, regulations and standards; actual and estimated business consolidation and investment costs and the net realizable value of assets associated with these activities; goodwill impairment; changes in generally accepted accounting principles or their interpretation; litigation; antitrust, intellectual property, consumer and other issues; strikes; boycotts; increases in various employee benefits and labor costs, specifically pension, medical and health care costs incurred in the countries in which Ball has operations; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; interest rates and level of company debt, including floating rate debt; terrorist activities, war or catastrophic events that disrupt or impact production, supply or pricing of the company's goods and services, including raw materials and energy costs, or disrupt or impact the credit and financing of the company's businesses; and U.S. and foreign economic conditions. DATASOURCE: Ball Corporation CONTACT: Customers, Denise Rodgers, +1-303-460-5001, , or Media & Photo Requests, Scott McCarty, +1-303-460-2103, , or Investors, Ann Scott, +1-303-460-3537, , all of Ball Corporation

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