Ball Corporation plans to cease beverage can plant in Italy

Ball Corporation, a leading beverage can maker with production facilities around the globe, has announced its intention to cease production at its beverage packaging plant in  San Martino, Italy by the end of December 2018 and only after due negotiation with the trade union. Ball Corporation will supply its products to its customer through other facilities in Europe.

"Given the market environment in Italy, we need to ensure that we remain cost competitive for the long term," said Colin Gillis, President, Ball Beverage Packaging Europe. "While closing a plant is always a difficult decision, our goal is ensuring the long-term success of the business for all of our stakeholders, including our 3,600 employees in Europe."

The San Martino packaging plant, which was built in 1981, employs approximately 70 people. Ball intends to carry out the proposed closure in a respectful and socially acceptable way, and to support employees through various measures, it said.

Ball Corporation also intends to convert one production line in its Nogara, Italy, beverage container plant to sleek cans. The conversion will occur approximately one year following the planned closure of San Martino can facility.

Over the past two years, the company declared to close its food-can production line in Springdale, Ark; three beverage-packing plants in Alabama, California and Texas; and a can-production facility in Germany.

The company provides innovative, sustainable packaging solutions for beverage, personal care and household products customers, as well as aerospace and other technologies and services primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation had reported 2017 net sales of $11 billion.