12.11.2008

Brau 2008: New CDL+ can ends in Europe: More end, less resources

Lighter ends to be produced in Deeside, England

Nuremberg, 12th November 2008. – For Ball Packaging Europe, one of the leading beverage can producers in Europe, a new chapter is about to open  at its British end making site in Deeside: the packaging manufacturer is producing CDL+ can ends for the first time on a commercial scale in Europe. The line started production in September, initially with one can end press and an output of 750 million can ends annually. Less material is required for a CDL+ end than for a standard can end - which benefits the environment. 

The end is a plus factor for each can.  It seals the can absolutely hermetically to prevent the penetration or escape of oxygen and carbonation. The contents of the can therefore remain fresh longer than when other closures such as crown caps or twist caps are used. Apart from that cans are appealing because they are easy to store. Their flat ends make them easy to stack. The CDL+ end also has all these attributes - and offers even more: It is more environmentally friendly to produce because less material is used.

In the USA, CDL+ can ends have been successfully produced by Ball Corporation since 2005 – now Europe is catching up. As from September 2008, Ball Packaging Europe has commissioned its first line at the British Deeside site: Initially with just one can end press, the annual capacity will total 750 million ends – in the first quarter 2009, this output will be doubled to a total of 1.5 billion by installing a second end press.

Less material, same attributes
The essential advantage of CDL+ can ends over conventional standard ends is the saving in feedstock.  The circular blank in the round aluminium disk is smaller. In addition the metal is thinner. "Beverage cans already have excellent environmental attributes - with the CDL+ can end we can save even more resources“, stresses Gerrit Heske, Executive Vice President and COO at Ball Packaging Europe. "The material reduction in no way prejudices the attributes of the end."  In Europe, the CDL + end will only be produced with the Large Opening End (LOE).

The technical changes on the customer side as a result of conversion to the CDL+ end are very limited: "We will assist fillers with our expertise when they install new chucks in their systems," explains Dominique Mercier Vice President manufacturing at Ball Packaging Europe. "Seamers are designed for constant tool usage, there is no provision for a rapid change from one type of can end to another. New chucks will have to be installed sooner or later anyway as the CDL+ end advances.  It is merely a matter of time before it replaces the previous end as the new standard."

Printable photo material relating to this press release can be found in our photo data bank (www.ball-europe.com) under “Press/Image database”.
You can visit Ball Packaging Europe at the Brau Beviale from 12th to 14th November 2008 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 product 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; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost reductions, including our beverage can end project; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; and changes in foreign exchange rates, tax rates and activities of foreign subsidiaries. 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; successful or unsuccessful 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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