BLL Ball Corp

Ball Expands R&D Capabilities, Renames Colorado R&D Center BROOMFIELD, Colo., July 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- New product development, technology and engineering capabilities for all of Ball Corporation's (NYSE:BLL) North American packaging products -- metal beverage cans, metal food cans and PET plastic bottles -- are now based in the company's newly expanded Edmund F. Ball Technology and Innovation Center in Westminster, Colo. Ball has completed the relocation of its PET plastic technology center to Westminster from Smyrna, Ga., that began in 2003. The company built a state-of-the-art, 30,000-square-foot addition to its existing metal packaging R&D building and renamed the facility in recognition of its emphasis on innovation. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening is planned for Oct. 14. More details will be released at a later date. "We are able to offer to our North American packaging customers the full strength of Ball's innovation, engineering and research capabilities in one location," said John R. Friedery, senior vice president and chief operating officer, North American packaging. "This allows us to integrate our new product development initiatives as well as better support our continuing technology advancements in our existing processes and products." The move resulted in 46 relocated and new jobs in Westminster, approximately 25 of them in the Ball Technology and Innovation Center. Ball's North American packaging technology and innovation operations will continue to coordinate initiatives with the company's European technology center -- part of Ball Packaging Europe -- in Bonn, Germany About 60 people work in the Ball Technology and Innovation Center in Colorado, which features production equipment capable of replicating a manufacturing plant environment for testing of new metal and plastic containers and processes. Included in the newly expanded center is a 3-D printer that allows Ball to produce actual models of new packaging designs for customers within 24 hours. The 3-D printer shaves weeks off of the typical package development process and enables Ball's customers to more quickly introduce new products. 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. DATASOURCE: Ball Corporation CONTACT: Media, Scott McCarty, +1-303-460-2103, , or Investors, Ann Scott, +1-303-460-3537, , both of Ball Corporation

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