12.11.2008

Brau 2008: Individual design thanks to digital printing

New printing technology turns the can into an even more effective communication medium

Nuremberg, 12th November 2008.  – Breakthrough for digital printing: Ball Packaging Europe will in future supply individually designed containers in addition to conventionally printed cans thanks to an innovative technology. Using a special drop-on-demand process, it will be possible to print cans each with a different design - in brilliant photo quality with 600 dpi resolution.

A viable technical solution for the digital printing of cans has been developed by Ball Packaging Europe in cooperation with the British company Tonejet. In the first quarter of 2009 Ball Packaging Europe will integrate a pilot machine into an existing production line in its manufacturing plant in Haßloch, Germany. The company will then for the first time be able to supply limited quantities of digitally designed & printed cans for the markets.

The digital printing technology opens up new marketing potential for key customers of the can maker based in Ratingen: In future it will be possible to focus on specific highlights for smaller events or for topical or regional promotional campaigns.

Thanks to the new printing technology from Tonejet, Ball Packaging Europe is able to give each and every can its own specific design. In contrast to conventional printing techniques, the advantage of digital printing is that a digital print head prints the top quality design with a resolution of 600 dpi directly on to the can surface in a similar manner to a conventional inkjet printer used in the office. Complicated design changes required when using conventional printing machines are therefore a thing of the past.

"The main feature which distinguishes digital printing from conventional printing processes is that neither printing plates, nor cylinders nor printing blankets are used", that is how Robert Jansen, Director Innovation at Ball Packaging Europe, explains the benefits of the modern process. "We have achieved excellent pre-press quality with digital printing. “

Ray Southam, CEO of Tonejet, adds: "Using our product, Ball Packaging Europe will be able to gain a substantial advantage on the market." Ball Packaging Europe is the exclusive client for this technology in the field of can printing and is continuing to develop it in cooperation with Tonejet. 

Another advantage of digital printing: The lead time for printing cans is significantly shorter.  In contrast to conventional printing technology, the pre-press facility processes are not required in digital printing; the beverage can is printed directly without any intermediate steps. This allows the beverage can to come to the fore as a communication medium for short-term, topical campaigns. "For instance, it will be possible to find cans printed with photos of the current winners of Olympic medals in London for the 2012 Olympics on supermarket shelves the next day," explains Jansen.

"We envisage a whole range of additional applications for digitally designed beverage cans", explains Jansen.  "Suitability for events is obvious.  In addition the new printing technology is ideal for our key customers when re-positioning products in the energy and functional drinks segments for example. Such products are frequently found in the premium sector.  Consumers associate them with a high degree of innovativeness and we can underline this by supplying cans with innovative designs“.

Ball Packaging Europe
Ball Packaging Europe is one of the leading beverage can makers in Europe with 2,700 employers and twelve production sites in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Poland and Serbia. The company is a subsidiary of Ball Corporation, which produces high quality metal and plastic packaging for the beverage, food and household goods industries. In addition Ball Corporation supplies aerospace technology as well as other technologies and services predominantly to the US American government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 15,500 staff worldwide and reported 2007 sales of 7.4 billion US dollars.

About Tonejet Limited
Tonejet Limited owns, develops, supplies and licenses Tonejet Technology, a powerful new digital printing process targeted at commercial and industrial applications, primarily package decoration. Tonejet works closely with industry leaders in the key target sectors in order to commercialise its technology and bring the benefits of digital printing to the high volume, multi-billion dollar markets where cost, reliability and throughput are critical factors.  The company is part of the TTP Group, Europe’s leading independent product and technology development and licensing organisation.  It is headquartered in Melbourn, near Cambridge, UK.

For more information visit www.tonejet.com.

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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