Ball Completes Acquisition of Brazilian Joint Venture

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Dec. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) today completed its acquisition of the remaining 39.9 percent minority interest in Latapack-Ball Embalagens Ltda., which supplies beverage cans and ends to the local Brazilian market.   

Latapack-Ball was founded in 1995 and was one of the most successful joint ventures in Ball's history. Approximately 5.7 million Ball common shares were issued to the main joint venture partner, Participações Industriais do Nordeste S.A. (PIN), for its controlling ownership in Latapack S.A., equivalent to a 38.1 percent economic interest in Latapack-Ball, and $17.4 million of cash was paid to the smaller joint venture partner, in exchange for their respective interests in the former joint venture. Ball is pleased to welcome PIN as a large and important shareholder.

"As a global metal beverage packaging supplier, we must remain close to our customers, provide exceptional service and ensure that metal packaging remains cost competitive over the long term," said John A. Hayes, chairman, president and CEO. "This acquisition allows us to streamline our business, utilize Ball's best practices and gain supply chain efficiencies across our global footprint."

About Ball Corporation

Ball Corporation supplies innovative, sustainable packaging solutions for beverage, food and household products customers, as well as aerospace and other technologies and services primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2014 sales of $8.6 billion. For more information, visit www.ball.com, or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" and similar expressions 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 in our Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect: a) our packaging segments include product demand fluctuations; availability/cost of raw materials; competitive packaging, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve productivity improvements or cost  reductions; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; customer and supplier consolidation, power and supply chain influence; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; and changes in foreign exchange or tax rates; b) our aerospace segment include funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts; c) the company as a whole include those listed plus: changes in senior management; regulatory action or issues including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions or public concerns affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; technological developments and innovations; litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding the U.S. government budget, sequestration and debt limit; reduced cash flow; ability to achieve cost-out initiatives; interest rates affecting our debt; and successful or unsuccessful acquisitions and divestitures, including, with respect to the proposed Rexam PLC acquisition or the Latapack-Ball acquisition, the effect of the announcement of the acquisitions on our business relationships, operating results and business generally; the occurrence of any event or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of our definitive agreement with Rexam PLC in respect of the acquisition or the definitive agreements in respect of the Latapack-Ball acquisition; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against us; and the failure to satisfy conditions to completion of the acquisition of Rexam PLC, including the receipt of all required regulatory approvals.

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SOURCE Ball Corporation