Ball will acquire three Alcan plastic container manufacturing plants, in Batavia, Ill.; Bellevue, Ohio; and Brampton, Ontario. Ball will also acquire certain equipment and other assets at Alcan's Newark, Calif., plant and at its Neenah, Wis., research facility and will continue to operate at those locations during 2006.
The business being sold by Alcan Packaging is a leading producer of barrier polypropylene plastic bottles in the United States, largely for foods. The business also manufactures barrier polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles. It currently employs approximately 470 people.
"This acquisition enables Ball to supply a broad range of blue chip customers, some of whom are new to us and some of whom know Ball well through our metal food container operations. In addition, these manufacturing plants complement our existing plastic container operations and offer some significant technology opportunities," said R. David Hoover, the company's chairman, president and chief executive officer.
Ball Corporation is a supplier of high-quality metal and plastic packaging products and owns Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., which develops sensors, spacecraft, systems and components for government and commercial customers. Ball reported 2005 sales of $5.7 billion and the company employs 13,100 people worldwide.
