Ball to Expand Position in South-East Asia Beverage Can Market

The plant will be located in the Tan Uyen district in Binh Duong province. Ball will hold an approximately 50 percent economic interest in the joint venture facility, which is expected to begin production in the first half of 2012.

3/10/2011 --- Ball Corporation has entered into an agreement with its joint venture partner Thai Beverage Can Limited (TBC), a 50 percent associated company owned by Berli Jucker Public Company Limited, to build a beverage can manufacturing plant in Vietnam.

The plant will be located in the Tan Uyen district in Binh Duong province. Ball will hold an approximately 50 percent economic interest in the joint venture facility, which is expected to begin production in the first half of 2012.

"The growth of the middle class in Southeast Asia, and the preference of consumers there for beverage cans, continue to increase demand for our containers," said Raymond J. Seabrook, executive vice president and chief operating officer, global packaging. "The beverage can market in the region is projected to grow more than 15 percent annually over the next several years. We have operated a joint venture beverage can plant in Thailand with Thai Beverage Can since 1996, and have worked closely with our partners as we have expanded into emerging markets. This Vietnam plant fits our long-term strategy to grow our worldwide beverage can business to meet increasing demand from our customers."

The one-line plant will have an initial annual production capacity of 850 million cans and will primarily use equipment relocated from other Ball facilities. The total value of the joint venture, including contributed equipment by Ball, is approximately $45 million. The plant will supply contracted customers in Vietnam as well as export beverage cans to adjacent countries, and can be expanded to meet growing demand.