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22/02/2012 - Beverage cans fuel Rexam's profits

World-leading drinks can producer Rexam will be installing a fourth canmaking line at its Ludesch plant in Austria as part of its focus on increasing capacity for speciality-size cans around the world. The plant, which mostly makes cans for Red Bull, is said like much of Rexam's European operations to have a high utilisation rate that contributed to record profits in 2011. Global sales were up 2 percent to £4.73 billion (US$7.44bn), with underlying profit before tax up 15 percent to £450m ($707m) with beverage cans contributing 81 percent of profits. Beverage can sales grew 3 percent to £3.79bn ($5.95bn).

22/02/2012 - Production hike for self-heating canned foods

Manufacture of self-heating canned foods that have been used by the military for more than 30 years is being ramped up with the opening of a bigger factory in the UK. Heat Food & Drink has set up the facility in Staffordshire to meet increasing demand for its range of 400g canned meals, which are ready for consumption in about 10 minutes using an internal heating system.

21/02/2012 - Aujan to build two new facilities

Aujan Industries, the Middle East's top independent soft drinks producer and a leader in the canmaking business, has announced plans to expand production and distribution capacity in response to increasing demand.

20/02/2012 - Ball gives craft brewer high-definition cans

As the US craft brewing industry increasingly uses cans to package its ales and beers, Colorado-based Avery Brewing has turned to canmaking company Ball to provide cans with high-definition graphics.

17/02/2012 - Kirin to open The Canmaker Summit

Japanese brewer Kirin will provide the keynote presentation at The Canmaker Summit, which this year is being held in Tokyo, Japan, on 27-28 September. Kirin Brewery's Packaging Technology Center will offer delegates insights into the company's packaging strategies and needs. The second day of the canmaking conference will open with a presentation by Hirofumi Miki, Chairman of the Board at Japan's largest packaging company – Toyo Seikan Kaisha. Taking place at the Hilton Tokyo Bay, The Canmaker Summit is a unique opportunity to meet the most inspiring network in the canmaking world. The event also includes the Cans of the Year Awards dinner to recognise canmakers' achievements across a wide range of categories. For more information about The Canmaker Summit contact Helen Simmonds at SPG Events: h.simmonds@sayers-publishing.com

17/02/2012 - Miles leads speakers at IMDA convention

Rob Miles, newly promoted at Ball Corporation to the top sales job for North American beverage & global accounts, will lead the speaker line up at the International Metal Decorating Association's annual convention in May. British-born Miles worked for Continental Can Europe before it was acquired by Ball in 2002. Last year he moved to the US as sales chief for metal beverage packaging.

16/02/2012 - Serbia buys US Steel's local mill

US Steel has sold its mill in Serbia, which includes a tinplate line that supplies local canmaking plants, to the Republic of Serbia for a nominal price of US$1. The mill, part of US Steel's European operations based in Slovakia, had lost hundreds of millions of dollars.

16/02/2012 - Name change for tinplate maker Rasselstein

Germany's specialist supplier of tinplate to canmaking plants, Rasselstein has changed its name to ThyssenKrupp Rasselstein GmbH to better communicate the links with its parent company. Its tin mill at Andernach is the only German – and also the world's biggest – facility for the manufacture of tinplate with capacity of about 1.5 million tonnes a year.

16/02/2012 - Mood enhancer benefits from sleek cans

A lifestyle drink designed to revitalise the body, boost mental focus and promote an overall sense of well-being has been relaunched in North America in 12oz aluminium cans from canmaking firm Rexam.

15/02/2012 - BWAY sales up after Phoenix acquisition

Sales at BWAY Corporation, the US-based general-line canmaking firm, were improved in the latest fiscal quarter by 3.2 percent to US$248.4 million, mostly as a result of its acquisition last year of New York-based metal pail manufacturer Phoenix Container and the pass-through of higher metal costs.

15/02/2012 - MCC to expand its Arnold beverage can plant

The Metal Container Corporation (MCC) beverage canmaking plant at Arnold in Missouri is being expanded with an investment of between US$70-$80 million. The plant, which is owned by world-leading brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev, will be increased in size with the addition of about 100,000 sq ft of warehouse space and production areas.

14/02/2012 - Supplier open day draws canmakers to Germany

Members of the canmaking industry met at the headquarters of German can production equipment supplier Mall + Herlan last week to view new systems in operation at the recently-expanded facility.

14/02/2012 - Crown's 11th beverage can plant for China

Crown Asia Pacific has announced plans to build an 11th beverage canmaking plant in China. The Singapore based division of the world's largest canmaker is already operating five beverage can plants in China and is in the process of constructing another five. It is also planning to double capacity in Malaysia with a second line at its Bangi plant.

13/02/2012 - Turkish-Japanese JV targets drink can sector

Turkish flat steel and pipe manufacturer Tosyali Holding and Japan's tinplate maker Toyo Kohan, part of canmaking company Toyo Seikan Kaisha, have signed a joint venture agreement to build a coated sheet production plant in Turkey. Called Tosyalı-Toyo Çelik AŞ, the 51:49 joint venture will be based at Osmaniye, in southern Turkey, and serve the automotive, electrical home appliance, information technology and beverage can sectors, with sales aimed at the European, Transcaucasian, Middle Eastern, North African and domestic markets, said a Tosyali press release. * Sumida Hirohiko, director of Toyo Kohan Business Development, and Fuat Tosyali, chairman of Tosyali Holdings, are pictured at a press conference earlier this month.

10/02/2012 - Special winter beer in cans by Ball

Poland's Amber Zimowy brewery has launched a special winter beer in 50cl cans made by Ball Packaging Europe (BPE). One the first winter beers on the Polish market to be canned, 'Winter Amber' can be consumed chilled or heated like mulled wine.

10/02/2012 - Food cans to get bio-based coatings

Bio-based coatings derived from tomatoes could find commercial applications in the canmaking industry within two years if a European Commission-funded project is successful. Companies from seven countries in the European canmaking and canning industry are behind the project, called BIOCOPAC, to develop the polyester coatings, which will use tomato skins as a source of bio-resins in their manufacture.

01/02/2012 - Self-chilling cans to make a comeback

Self-chilling drinks cans are expected to make a comeback when an energy drink using them is unveiled in Arizona next month. West Coast Chill contains natural ingredients and is being launched by The Joseph Company in a design of can similar to one that was last promoted by the company 12 years ago.

01/02/2012 - Destocking hits Novelis aluminium sales

The world's leader in the production of aluminium sheet used in canmaking plants, Novelis has reported a net loss of US$12 million in the financial quarter to the end of 2011, as customers destocked in Europe "due to economic uncertainty". It was an improvement on the loss of $46m in the same period of 2010.

01/02/2012 - Aerosol can industry meets in Paris

Aerosol canmaking firms and their customers have been recognised for their technological innovations and new applications at the Aerosol & Dispensing Forum held in Paris during today and tomorrow. At the Paris Aerosol & Dispensing Awards Ceremony, Tubex won the 'Hygiene and Beauty' category for its internal powder coated cans used by Nivea for hairfoams and deodorants. In 'Functionality and Cosmetics' category L'Oreal won for its 'Horizon Fix' hairspray that uses a Lindal actuator to provide an ultra-fine horizontal spray pattern. In the 'New Markets' category food supplier Safraneo won for its 'Eau de Safran' essence, used for cooking.

01/02/2012 - Cannex exhibitor expands in Chinese market

To meet rising demand from beverage canmaking plants in China, Cincinnati Industrial Machinery (CIM) has expanded its operations with an additional 35,000 sq ft facility at Shanghai from where can washers, drying ovens and after-market services will be supplied. CIM is one of more than 100 companies that will be exhibiting at the Cannex canmaking technology show being held in Guangzhou from 15-17 May.

01/02/2012 - Jiangsu Sunshine starts up tinning line

Jiangsu Sunshine in Dajiang, China, has commissioned an electrolytic tinning line with capacity to make 250,000 tonnes of tinplate a year. A new player in the sector that plans to position itself at the high end of the Chinese tinplate market, Jiangsu Sunshine's tinning line employs insoluble anode technology which minimizes the amount of sludge produced and hence the loss of tin. Supplied by Tenova Strip Processing, the line utilizes a patented tin dissolution reactor to dissolve the tin into the plating electrolyte which is said to offer improved product quality, lower operation costs and environmental benefits. "Compared with traditional soluble anodes," explains a Tenova press release, "insoluble anodes offer notable advantages in terms of the quality of the material produced with improved tin coating uniformity across the width of the strip and substantial reduction in overplating on the strip edges due to an edgemask system. "With this insoluble anode technology the tin is dissolved into the plating electrolyte eliminating the need for line operators to place tin anodes into the plating cells. This results in a much safer and environmentally friendly working environment."

01/02/2012 - New chief for British aerosol association

The British Aerosol Manufacturers' Association (BAMA) has appointed Dr John Morris of Crown Aerosols as its chief executive. He succeeds Sue Rogers, who is retiring at the end of next month and who has led the association for 18 years. Dr Morris has served on BAMA's executive committee since 2005 and became the association's chairman a year ago. His successor as chairman is current vice-chairman, Ian Mackinnon of Swallowfield.

01/02/2012 - More than 100 exhibitors at Cannex

More than 100 companies have already booked their place at Cannex, the World Canmaking Congress which returns to Guangzhou, China, on 15 May. The canmaking convention is mirroring the region's growth and has already been expanded to meet demand for exhibition space at what is promising to be the most exciting marketplace to showcase the world's metal packaging industry. All of the usual international buyers and sellers will meet for three days, augmented by a strong contingent of Chinese visitors who will be shopping for the new technology that is being presented to them. Alongside these will be local exhibitors who are looking to promote their products and services outside of their home territories. Visitors to the first Cannex held in 2009 in China commented that the show was a unique opportunity to get right into the heart of the metal packaging industry in a country where development and growth are paramount. It is certainly true that the speed at which canmaking is advancing in China, the size of the country and the spread of companies across such a geographically diverse area means that Cannex is often the only practical way to establish contact with many of these businesses. For further information, please contact h.simmonds@spgevents.com

01/02/2012 - Extra capacity lifts Crown's sales in 2011

With six new beverage can lines and two new plants starting production in growing markets last year, Crown Holdings, the world's largest canmaking firm, reported year-end sales up 8.8 percent at US$8.64 billion, and fourth quarter sales of $2.06bn, up 5.6 percent. Chief executive of US-based Crown John Conway said: "Despite the challenging business conditions in Europe and North America, the company performed well overall in our seasonally smaller fourth quarter." Overall sales were slightly higher than Ball Corporation, which reported its results earlier this week.

01/02/2012 - Soft drinks are the 'hero sector' for UK cans

Canned soft drinks sales in the UK last year provided a welcome boost to the canmaking business with a 5.6 percent jump in shipments to 5.12 billion units. Geoff Courtney, chairman of The Can Makers, which represents the interests of the manufacturers, called soft drinks the 'hero sector' for cans.