21.04.2005

Canny Brushes

Wipe & Dry: New drying system for beverage cans

Düsseldorf, 21 April 2005:  At interpack 2005, Ball Packaging Europe is for the first time exhibiting a new system to dry beverage cans after filling. The new "Wipe & Dry" system provides beverage producers with several benefits all at once: it combines significant output improvements with cost savings and functions far more quietly, more cleanly and more environmentally soundly than previous processes.  Ball Packaging Europe offers the "Wipe & Dry" system in co-operation with the machine construction company, H.F. Meyer GmbH & Co. KG. 

In conventional processes, the can end and base are dried using ventilators or compressed air after the can has been filled with the beverage, part of the water dispersing in the area around the filling line.  In contrast, the "Wipe & Dry" system has nine rotating nylon brushes which dry the beverage cans and prevent water from being sprayed on to the filling line.  In fact, the brushes thoroughly remove the water from the end and base of the cans. It can then be conveyed back into the process circuit via a drain channel.  The drying capacity of the brushes is significantly higher than that of the compressed air process.  Energy consumption is also lower because the brushes only require a 4-kilowatt drive motor.

The "Wipe & Dry" system can be integrated in existing filling lines without any difficulty and is available immediately on the market.  The Ball Packaging Europe Technical Service advises beverage producers and assists them with the installation of the drying system.

You can visit Ball Packaging Europe at the interpack from 21 to 27 April 2005 in Düsseldorf, Hall 10, Stand A44.

Printable photographic material relating to this press release can be found in our Image Database. (www.ball-europe.com, section “Press”. Please input picture number 040196 in the full text search.)

Forward-Looking Statements
The information in this news release contains "forward-looking" statements. Actual results or outcomes may differ materially from those expressed or implied. As time passes, the relevance and accuracy of forward-looking statements contained in this release may change. The company currently does not intend to update any particular forward-looking statement except as it deems necessary at quarterly or annual release of earnings. Please refer to the Form 10-Q filed by Ball Corporation on November 10, 2003, for a summary of key risk factors that could affect actual results or outcomes. Factors that might affect the packaging segments of the company are: fluctuation in consumer and customer demand; competitive packaging material availability, pricing and substitution; the weather; fruit, vegetable and fishing yields; company and industry productive capacity and competitive activity; lack of productivity improvement or production cost reductions; regulatory action or laws, including the German mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws and environmental and workplace safety regulations; availability and cost of raw materials, energy and transportation; the ability or inability to pass on to customers changes in these costs, particularly resin, steel and aluminium; pricing and ability or inability to sell scrap; international business risks (including foreign exchange rates and tax rates) particularly in the United States, Europe and in developing countries such as China and Brazil; and the effect of LIFO accounting on earnings. Factors that may affect the aerospace segment are: funding, authorisation and availability of government contracts and the nature and continuation of those contracts; and technical uncertainty associated with aerospace segment contracts. Factors that could affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: successful and unsuccessful acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures and the integration activities associated therewith including the integration and operation of the business of Schmalbach-Lubeca AG, now known as Ball Packaging Europe; the inability to purchase the company's common stock; insufficient or reduced cash flow; regulatory action or laws including those related to corporate governance and financial reporting, regulations and standards; actual and estimated business consolidation and investment costs and the net realisable value of assets associated with these activities; goodwill impairment; changes in generally accepted accounting principles or their interpretation; litigation; antitrust, intellectual property, consumer and other issues; strikes; boycotts; increases in various employee benefits and labour costs, specifically pension, medical and health care costs incurred in the countries in which Ball has operations; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; interest rates and level of company debt, including floating rate debt; terrorist activities, war or catastrophic events that disrupt or impact production, supply or pricing of the company's goods and services, including raw materials and energy costs, or disrupt or impact the credit and financing of the company's businesses; and U.S. and foreign economic conditions.

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