BROOMFIELD, Colo., Oct. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL), one of the largest metal packaging companies in the world, has won four "Can of the Year" awards in the annual global contest held by The Canmaker magazine, a prominent industry trade publication.

Ball cans received awards in the following categories:

• A Gold Award in the 2-Piece Beverage Can category, for Ball's 24-oz. Miller Lite can with tactile ink that mimics the feel of an American football. The MillerCoors Grip Can is made with a unique process that uses raised ink which makes the can easier to grip when it is wet or dry.
• A Gold Award in the Metal Bottles category, for Ball's 16-oz. Alumi-Tek® bottle for Chaka Ale, a specialty craft beer from Oskar Blues and Sun King breweries. The 100-percent recyclable bottle is lightweight, unbreakable, efficient to ship and store, an excellent brand billboard and is impervious to light and oxygen – providing unparalleled flavor protection and long shelf life for the beer inside.
• A Bronze Award in the 3-Piece Beverage Can category, for Ball's throwback steel beverage can made for Churchkey beer. The retro steel beverage can uses a "church key" to open and is an homage to Americana and great craft beer.
• A Commendation in the 3-Piece Food Can category, for Ball's can made for Kikkoman Soy Sauce, a gallon-sized oblong can featuring superior printing quality of flat sheet printing to differentiate the package.

"Can innovation helps define and support brands, and our latest award-winning packages are successful examples of that," said Jim Peterson, vice president, marketing and corporate affairs, for Ball. "Great packaging paints a brand's story, and the 360-degree billboard provided by lightweight, recyclable cans offers an unmatched canvas."

More information about Can of the Year award winners can be found at http://www.spgevents.com/coy.htm.

Ball Corporation is a supplier of high quality packaging for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2011 sales of more than $8.6 billion. For the latest Ball news and for other company information, please visit http://www.ball.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This 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 Exhibit 99.2 in our Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in product demand and preferences; availability and cost of raw materials; competitive packaging availability, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost reductions; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; and changes in foreign exchange rates or tax rates. Factors that might affect our aerospace segment include: funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts. Factors that might affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: accounting changes; changes in senior management; the recent global recession and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; 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; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding the U.S. government budget and debt limit; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or other effects.

SOURCE Ball Corporation