Ball Corp. to rebuild fire-damaged German plant, add line in Hermsdorf

By Plant Engineering Staff June 23, 2006

Ball Corporation recently announced plans to replace the beverage-can manufacturing volume it lost in Europe when a fire damaged its plant in Hassloch, Germany, on April 1.

Prior to the fire, the Hassloch plant produced approximately 2 billion 33-cl and 50-cl steel beverage cans annually. Ball plans to rebuild the Hassloch facility as a two-line plant capable of producing 1.3 billion steel beverage cans annually. At the same time, Ball will add a second production line in its plant in Hermsdorf, Germany, to produce approximately 700 million aluminum beverage cans annually.

The total cost of the two projects is estimated to be approximately $112.7 million and is expected to be largely covered by insurance proceeds. Much of the necessary design work has been completed. Initial production is expected by the end of the first quarter of 2007.

“Demand for beverage cans in Europe continues to grow, with industry shipments up in excess of 7% thus far in 2006, over the same period last year,” said R. David Hoover, chairman, president and CEO of Ball Corporation. “In Germany retail volumes are up considerably from the lows in recent years. Reinstalling all of our lost capacity will allow us to participate in the market growth and the anticipated comeback in Germany.