Brazilian Joint Venture to Add Second Production Line

BROOMFIELD, Colo., March 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) announced today that its joint venture metal beverage can plant near Rio de Janeiro, which began production in November, will start up a second production line early in the first quarter of 2011.

The new Tres Rios plant makes aluminum beverage cans for beer and other beverages. It is part of Latapack-Ball Embalagens, Ltda., which operates metal beverage packaging plants in Tres Rios, Jacarei and Salvador, Brazil.

"The Brazilian can market grew by approximately 11 percent in 2009, and demand is expected to continue to increase," said Raymond J. Seabrook, chief operating officer, global packaging operations. "As we said during our January earnings conference call, our facilities there are well-positioned to supply our customers as they grow and we had begun discussions with customers about a second line in Tres Rios. That process is underway and the second line is sold out in 2011.  We have the capability to install a third line in Tres Rios when demand warrants."

Ball Corporation is a supplier of high-quality metal and plastic 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 14,000 people worldwide and reported 2009 sales of more than $7.3 billion.

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; 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 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 current global recession 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 climate change, 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