Ball to Reduce Capacity in U.S. Steel Food Packaging Business

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Sept. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) announced that it will cease food can production at the company's Springdale, Arkansas, tinplate food and aerosol packaging manufacturing plant during the fourth quarter of 2017.

"Given the overall decline in food can demand, our Springdale food can operations are no longer sustainable and we are electing to focus our remaining local plant resources on our growing aerosol business," said Jim Peterson, chief operating officer, food and aerosol packaging. "We will continue maximizing value in our food business and accelerating profitable growth in our global aerosol business."

The Springdale plant will continue to produce and assemble aerosol cans, cut and coat flat sheet steel, and produce components used by other Ball food and aerosol facilities. The plant's affected employees will be provided benefits, including outplacement and severance pay, in accordance with company policies. They also can apply for open positions within Ball.

About Ball Corporation
Ball Corporation supplies innovative, sustainable packaging solutions for beverage, food and household products customers, as well as aerospace and other technologies and services primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ 18,450 people worldwide and 2016 net sales were $9.1 billion. For more information, visit www.ball.com, or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "believes," "targets," "likely" and similar expressions typically identify forward-looking statements, which are generally any statements other than statements of historical fact. Such statements are based on current expectations or views of the future and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied. You should therefore not place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements and any of such statements should be read in conjunction with, and, qualified in their entirety by, the cautionary statements referenced below. 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 factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to be different are summarized in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99 in our Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at www.sec.gov. Additional factors that might affect: a) our packaging segments include product demand fluctuations; availability/cost of raw materials; competitive packaging, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; competitive activity; failure to achieve synergies, productivity improvements or cost reductions; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; customer and supplier consolidation, power and supply chain influence; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or a loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; currency controls; and changes in foreign exchange or tax rates; b) our aerospace segment include funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts; c) the company as a whole include those listed plus: changes in senior management; regulatory action or issues including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions or public concerns affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; technological developments and innovations; litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding geopolitical events and governmental policies both in the U.S. and in other countries, including the U.S. government elections, budget, sequestration and debt limit; reduced cash flow; ability to achieve cost-out initiatives and synergies; interest rates affecting our debt; and successful or unsuccessful acquisitions and divestitures, including with respect to the Rexam PLC acquisition and its integration, or the associated divestiture; the effect of the acquisition or the divestiture on our business relationships, operating results and business generally.

Ball Corporation Logo. (PRNewsFoto/Ball Corporation)

 

SOURCE Ball Corporation

For further information: Investor Contact: Ann T. Scott, (303) 460-3537, ascott@ball.com; Media Contact: Renee Robinson, (303) 460-2476, rarobins@ball.com