Ball Stock

Ball Corporation (Ball) supplies aluminum packaging solutions for beverage, personal care and household products customers. The company’s sustainable, aluminum packaging products are produced for a variety of end uses and are manufactured in facilities around the world. The company also provides other technologies and services to governmental and commercial customers.

The company’s largest product line is aluminum beverage containers and it also produces extruded aluminum aerosol containers, recloseable aluminum bottles across multiple consumer categories, aluminum slugs and aluminum cups.

The company sells its aluminum packaging products globally to large multinational beverage, personal care and household products companies with which it has developed long-term relationships. This is evidenced by its high customer retention and large number of long-term supply contracts. While it has a diversified customer base, the company sells a significant portion of its packaging products to major companies and brands, as well as to numerous regional customers. The company’s significant customers include top consumer packaging and beverage companies.

Segments

The company operates through beverage packaging, North and Central America; beverage packaging, Europe, Middle East and Africa (beverage packaging, EMEA); and beverage packaging, South America.

Beverage Packaging, North and Central America

Beverage packaging, North and Central America, is Ball’s largest segment, accounting for 43 percent of consolidated net sales in 2023. Aluminum beverage containers are primarily sold under multi-year supply contracts to fillers of carbonated soft drinks, beer, energy drinks and other beverages. Five companies manufacture substantially all of the aluminum beverage containers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Ball shipped approximately 49 billion aluminum beverage containers in North and Central America in 2023, which represented approximately 36 percent of the aggregate shipments in these countries. All of the beverage containers produced by Ball in the U.S., Canada and Mexico are made of aluminum. In North and Central America, a diverse base of no fewer than seven global suppliers provide almost all of the company’s aluminum can and end sheet requirements.

Beverage Packaging, EMEA

The beverage packaging, EMEA, segment accounted for 24 percent of Ball’s consolidated net sales in 2023. The company’s EMEA region operations include 19 facilities throughout Europe and one facility each in Cairo, Egypt, and Manisa, Turkey. For the countries in which the company operates, the beverage container market is approximately 90 billion containers. The company is the largest producer with an estimated 38 percent of shipments in this region. The regions served by the company’s beverage packaging, EMEA, segment, including Egypt and Turkey, are highly regional in terms of sales growth rates and packaging mix. Four companies manufacture substantially all of the metal beverage containers in EMEA. The company’s EMEA beverage facilities, shipped 35 billion beverage containers in 2023, all of which were made from aluminum. During 2023, the company began production at its new aluminum beverage can manufacturing facilities in Pilsen, Czech Republic, and Kettering, U.K.

Historically, sales volumes of metal beverage containers in EMEA tend to be highest during the period from May through August, with a smaller increase in demand leading up to the winter holiday season in the U.K. Much like in other parts of the world, the aluminum beverage container competes aggressively with other packaging materials used by the beer and carbonated soft drink industries.

Beverage Packaging, South America

The beverage packaging, South America, segment accounted for 14 percent of Ball’s consolidated net sales in 2023. The company’s operations consist of 12 facilities—9 in Brazil and one each in Argentina, Chile and Paraguay. For the countries where the company operates, the South American beverage container market is approximately 41 billion containers, and it is the largest producer in this region with an estimated 47 percent of South American shipments in 2023. Four companies manufacture substantially all of the aluminum beverage containers in the regions served by the company’s beverage packaging, South America, segment.

The company’s South American beverage facilities shipped approximately 19 billion aluminum beverage containers in 2023. Historically, sales volumes of beverage containers in South America tend to be highest during the period from September through December. In South America, two global suppliers provide virtually all the company’s aluminum can and end sheet requirements with certain requirements also being imported from Asia.

Other

Other consists of a non-reportable operating segment (beverage packaging, other) that manufactures and sells aluminum beverage containers in India, Saudi Arabia and Myanmar; a non-reportable operating segment that manufactures and sells extruded aluminum aerosol containers and recloseable aluminum bottles across multiple consumer categories, as well as aluminum slugs (aerosol packaging) throughout North America, South America, Europe, and Asia; a non-reportable operating segment that manufactures and sells aluminum cups (aluminum cups); undistributed corporate expenses; and intercompany eliminations and other business activities.

Beverage Packaging, Other

The company’s aluminum beverage packaging operations in the beverage packaging, other, segment consist of four facilities – two in India and one each in Saudi Arabia and Myanmar. The company’s aluminum can and end sheet requirements are provided by several suppliers. The company’s manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia, Ball United Arab Can Manufacturing Company, is an investment 51 percent owned by Ball and consolidated in its results. Additionally, Ball has ownership interests in an equity method investment in Vietnam.

Aerosol Packaging

The company’s aluminum aerosol packaging operations manufacture and sell extruded aluminum aerosol containers, recloseable aluminum bottles across multiple consumer categories, and aluminum slugs, which represented less than 5 percent of Ball’s consolidated net sales in 2023. The company’s aluminum aerosol requirements are provided by several suppliers.

Aluminum Cups

The Ball aluminum cups business serves the growing demand for innovative, sustainable beverage packaging among customers and consumers.

Research and Development Costs

The company’s research and development included $55 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Dispositions

On February 16, 2024, the company completed the divestiture of the aerospace business.

History

Ball Corporation was founded in 1880. The company was incorporated in the state of Indiana in 1922.