15.11.2006

Muscles from the can

Market launch: First sports drink with creatine in the FreshCan

Nuremberg, 15th November 2006. In May 2006, the world’s  first 100-percent stable ready-to-drink creatine product was launched on the US market in the FreshCan, an innovative beverage can from Ball Packaging Europe.  "Cell-Tech" is a sports drink containing 5 grams of creatine citrate, a nutritional additive which helps people engaging in sport to build up their muscles.

Thanks to FreshCan, which was developed by Ball Packaging Europe in co-operation with Degussa FreshTech Beverages, it is now, for the first time, possible to market products with sensitive ingredients such as creatine and also vitamins or probiotic additives in drink form. Such substances quickly lose their effectiveness in an aqueous environment.  By keeping the substances dry in an air- and watertight plastic capsule inside the FreshCan, they retain their full potential until the can is opened.  When a can of Cell-Tech is opened, the creatine and other dry substances, such as taurine, are mixed with the fruit-punch-flavored drink and the beverage is ready-to-drink within 30 seconds.

"Fortify Energy Plus“, another sports drink which was launched in the FreshCan in the USA in August 2006 contains amino acids and vitamins as well as creatine. People involved in sporting activities benefit from the greater convenience offered by both beverages as it is no longer necessary to go to the trouble of mixing the powdered substances with liquid prior to consumption.

“FreshCan has changed our entire way of thinking about what we can put on the market as a beverage product in future," says Rob Miles,Vice President Sales & Marketing at Ball Packaging Europe. “In the continuously growing health and wellness sector in particular, a large number of innovations are feasible which can be offered as ready-to-drink solutions thanks to FreshCan.”

In Europe, the first market launch of a sports drink in a FreshCan is expected soon.

In the autumn 2006, the Ball Packaging Europe FreshCan won the British Metal Packaging Manufacturer Association's silver award in the category of best packaging innovations 2006. In addition, FreshCan was nominated for the German Packaging Award 2006.

Printable photographic material relating to this press release can be found in our photo database (http://www.ball-europe.com/)  under "Press/ Image Database“. Please indicate the photo number 080367 in the full-text search.

You can visit Ball Packaging Europe at the Brau Beviale from 15th to 17th November 2006 in Nuremberg, Hall 4, Stand 109.

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 at our Web site and at www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in consumer and customer demand and preferences; availability and cost of raw materials, including recent significant increases in resin, steel, aluminum and energy costs, and the ability to pass such increases on to customers; competitive packaging availability, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; fruit, vegetable and fishing yields; industry productive capacity and competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost reductions, including those associated with our beverage can end project; the German mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; changes in foreign exchange rates, tax rates and activities of foreign subsidiaries; the effect of LIFO accounting; and any changes to such accounting. 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; acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures; integration of recently acquired businesses; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental and workplace safety; 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; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or other effects.

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