A young packaging for future generations

Learning from the source on a neutral ground, that is the main idea behind the seminar “A Young Packaging For Future Generations”, which is hosted in Columbus, Ohio, by BetterCans, LLC, in collaboration with The Ohio State University.

The metal packaging industry lacked of a neutral place to educate the next generation of Canmakers, we did not have a single neutral location in North America to train new to the industry or existing Canmakers, or users of two-piece aluminium cans on the fundamentals of canmaking, endmaking and co-manufacturing processes.

The initial idea of the seminar goes back to 1998 when we had the need to train operators, maintainers, production line leaders, and engineers on fundamental concepts of canmaking. At that time, we were aware of only two places in North America to learn about those fundamental concepts, one was with a reputable Canmaker which you were required to be part of its licensee portfolio, and the other place was with a prominent Aluminium company which you were also required to be part of its customer base, in other words the metal packaging industry did not have a neutral place to develop new Canmakers or reinforce fundamental concepts of canmaking, endmaking or co-packing processes.

After several attempts to get comprehensive training for existing customers and new to the industry Canmakers as part of our ongoing projects, in 2023 BetterCans decided to take the lead and develop a comprehensive training in two-piece aluminium cans for beverages; the main requirements were to do it on a neutral ground where everybody had access to the training regardless of his affiliation or background, in collaboration with key actors and entities in the industry, and covering fundamental topics on canmaking, endmaking and co-packing processes.

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The first edition of the seminar was held at The Ohio State University on August 13 and 14 of this year (2025), we covered 7 lectures per day for a total of 14 presentations in two exciting days. The seminar was at full capacity with 60 attendees from different companies, locations, backgrounds and seniority in the industry; in attendance were Canmakers, Brand owners, Suppliers, PhD students, Distributors and Collaborators of the seminar. We were able to cover in those two days topics like aluminium alloys and sources of lubrication in canmaking, cup and can forming technologies, coatings and inks for beverage packaging, filling and double seaming technologies, double seaming inspection, in-container sterilization and packaging safety and compliance for beverage cans. The response from all of the attendees was very positive and encouraging that we are planning a second edition of the seminar in April, 2026.

The second edition of the seminar will be held at The Ohio State University on April 14 and 15 of next year (2026), this is the spring session of the seminar. We have included for this upcoming seminar two new lectures, Die Necking, Flanging and Base Profile Reforming Technologies and Introduction to Endmaking based on several requests from attendees and collaborators. We are also including a tour to a local micro-brewery in Columbus, Ohio to experience its canning line and taste new experimental beers for the closing ceremony of the event.

BetterCans is fully committed to develop the next generation of Canmakers with the proper knowledge foundation, educate existing Canmakers on fundamental concepts of canmaking and endmaking, and teach brand owners and users on the critical aspects of two-piece aluminium cans for beverages. The commitment is to always deliver the seminar “A Young Packaging For Future Generations” on a neutral ground where everybody is welcome, with main entities from the industry to get the right information from the source, and continue evolving and improving each lecture and the whole agenda to cover relevant and substantial information for the audience.

The seminar “A Young Packaging For Future Generations” is an in-person attendance event at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. The seminar is intended for existing Canmakers, new to the industry Canmakers, Brand owners, Co-packers, Suppliers, Students, and everybody who is interested in developing knowledge in two-piece aluminium cans for beverages; how aluminium cans and ends are made, and how those components are properly processed to release a safe shelf-stable RTD beverage in the market.

Note: This article has been issued by BetterCans and has been published by AL Circle with its original information without any modifications or edits to the core subject/data.

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