The facility, expected to be located near Aurangabad in the state of Maharashtra, will be positioned strategically, Ball says, “to supply the two-piece beverage can needs of the majority of existing and currently planned beverage can filling lines in India”. The first cans are expected to be produced at the site by mid-2009, with the first line able to manufacture some 600m cans annually.
“India is one of the world’s largest potential beverage can markets and we have long had an interest in doing business there,” says R David Hoover, chairman, president and ceo of Ball Corporation.
John A Hayes, president, Ball Packaging Europe, says: “Many of our existing and potential customers are making significant investments in India, and we believe now is the right time for us to invest there as well. Ball and its licensees have been exporting cans to India for several years to help develop the market and to serve customers as various beverage filling facilities have become operational.”
Ball Packaging Europe is among Europe’s leading beverage can producers, with 2,700 staff and 12 production sites in the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland.
Ball Packaging Europe's John Hayes: "Many of our existing and potential customers are making significant investments in India."
