Ball Corporation To Convert Line To Meet Growing Demand For Specialty Cans

Broomfield, CO - Ball Corporation announced today that it is converting a beverage can manufacturing line in its Monticello, Ind., plant from the production of 12-ounce beverage cans to a line capable of producing beverage cans in sizes up to 16 ounces.

The Monticello line conversion is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2006. In June, the company successfully completed the conversion of a line in its Golden, Colo., plant from 12-ounce cans to 24-ounce specialty beverage cans.

"Demand for specialty sizes of beverage containers continues to grow," said Michael D. Herdman, president of Ball's metal beverage container operations. "Converting lines to make those sizes enables us to meet the needs of our customers and provide innovative, quality packaging to help grow their businesses and ours."

The Monticello, Ind., plant is one of 19 Ball metal beverage can plants in North America. The company also operates 12 beverage can plants in Europe as part of Ball Packaging Europe, as well as seven owned and jointly owned packaging plants in China as part of Ball Asia Pacific and two joint venture beverage can plants in Brazil.

Also today, Ball's board of directors declared a cash dividend of 10 cents per share, payable Sept. 15, 2005, to shareholders of record on Sept. 1, 2005.

SOURCE: Ball Corporation