Ball Corporation to Make New 8-Oz. 'Trim' Can, Which Meets New USDA School Beverage Guidelines

BROOMFIELD, Colo., July 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL), the leader in the specialty aluminum beverage can and bottle market, has announced its newest can size – the 8-oz. "trim" can. The small, lightweight can is ideal for juices and other beverages for portion-conscious consumers, and is unbreakable, quick-chilling and 100 percent recyclable.

The 8-oz. trim can, which is a shorter version of Ball's 8.4-oz. trim can, has a 202 can body diameter and a 200 diameter end. Ball's 8-oz. trim can is designed to run on existing filling lines and requires no line modifications by customers.

The trim 8-oz. package meets the newly recommended guidelines from the USDA that specify eight ounces as the maximum serving size for beverages sold in schools. Ball will also continue to make its popular 8.4-oz. size.

"We are committed to the North American beverage market and to meeting the growing demand for smaller, portion-control products," said Robert M. Miles, vice president, sales, for Ball's metal beverage packaging division, Americas. "Ball's 8-oz. trim can is a sustainable solution for customers looking to stand out in the marketplace and tap into incremental distribution channels."

Ball is the leading supplier of metal beverage cans and bottles in the world, offering high-quality containers in over 20 different sizes to its global customers. Ball's technology enables value-added enhancements for beverage cans and aluminum bottles, such as high definition printing, reclosable ends and colored tabs and ends.

Ball Corporation is a supplier of high quality packaging for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2010 sales of more than $7.6 billion. For the latest Ball news and for other company information, please visit http://www.ball.com.

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 on our website 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; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; and changes in foreign exchange rates or tax rates. 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 recent global recession and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions affecting products filled in our containers, or 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.

SOURCE Ball Corporation