BLL Ball Corp

Ball Names Michael D. Herdman President of Metal Beverage Container Operations BROOMFIELD, Colo., May 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Michael D. Herdman has been named president of Ball Corporation's (NYSE:BLL) metal beverage container operations. Herdman will oversee Ball's largest single operating unit, which includes 19 plants in Canada, the U.S. and Puerto Rico, as well as a domestic joint venture company. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040526/LAW107 ) "Ball operates world-class metal beverage container operations, and in Mike Herdman, we have a world-class, recognized and respected person to lead this important portion of our company," said John R. Friedery, senior vice president and chief operating officer, North American packaging. "He knows our business, knows our customers, knows our suppliers and understands the dynamics associated with the metal beverage container industry." Herdman was most recently president and chief executive officer of beverage cans Europe/Asia for Rexam PLC, having left that position last year. He began his can-making career in 1972 in the sales and marketing department of the former National Can. Herdman's packaging experience includes managing can making operations in Asia, Europe and Spain; directing worldwide business development through a global licensee network; and managing a plastic container division in the United States. 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 and other statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking 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 the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, especially in Exhibit 99.2 in the most recent Form 10-K. These filings are available at the company's website and at http://www.sec.gov/. Factors that might affect the packaging segments of the company include fluctuation in consumer and customer demand; competitive packaging material availability, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; fruit, vegetable and fishing yields; industry productive capacity and competitive activity; lack of productivity improvement or production cost reductions; the German mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; availability and cost of raw materials, such as resin, steel and aluminum, and the ability to pass on to customers changes in these costs; changes in major customer contracts or the loss of a major customer; international business risks, such as foreign exchange rates and tax rates; and the effect of LIFO accounting on earnings. Factors that might affect the aerospace segment include: funding, authorization and availability of government contracts and the nature and continuation of those contracts; and technical uncertainty associated with segment contracts. Factors that could affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: successful and unsuccessful acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures and associated integration activities; regulatory action or laws including environmental and workplace safety; goodwill impairment; antitrust and other litigation; strikes; boycotts; increases in various employee benefits and labor costs; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; reduced cash flow; and interest rates affecting our debt. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040526/LAW107 http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Ball Corporation CONTACT: Investors, Ann Scott, +1-303-460-3537, , or Media, Scott McCarty, +1-303-460-2103, , both of Ball Corporation

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