02.03.2009

Fire at the Hermsdorf plant

No casualties - Production has re-started again

Hermsdorf, 2nd March 2009 – A fire at the Hermsdorf plant of the beverage can maker Ball Packaging Europe during the night of Friday, 27th February to Saturday 28th February caused limited material damage.  Nobody, however, was injured. Cause of the fire was a technical defect.  Production be re-started again after 24 hours.        
Almost 60 firemen attended the scene when the fire broke out in the heat exchanger of the thermal after-treatment unit at 00.30 hours. There were no casualties. The Hermsdorf plant near Irxleben on the A2 motorway employs a staff of 170 who produce some 1.6 billion beverage cans per annum.

Due to the excellent response by the local fire service the fire was very well contained.
According to experts, the fire was started by a defect in the heat exchanger of the thermal after-treatment unit.  This serves to treat the exhaust air which occurs during the process of drying the varnished beverage cans.

“We are working closely with the local authorities, and have been given permission, whilst the incinerator is out of action, to continue to operate the plant. We hope to have the incinerator back in working order very quickly “, explained Dr. Michal Thie, plant manager at Ball Packaging Europe.  "We operate without incinerators at four of our twelve plants in Europe, complying with all local and national legislation.”

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; 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; changes in senior management; the current global credit squeeze and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures; integration of recently acquired businesses; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including in respect of 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; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or other effects.

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