Ball Corporation
Industry: Containers & Packaging

Ball Corporation is a manufacturer of metal and plastic packaging, primarily for beverages and foods, and a supplier of aerospace and other technologies and services to commercial and governmental customers. The Company's businesses are comprised of three segments: North American packaging, international packaging and aerospace and technologies.

Business Summary
Ball Corporation (Ball) conducts its business in three segments: North American packaging, International packaging, and Aerospace and Technologies. In North America Ball manufactures and sells aluminum, steel and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers, primarily for beverages and foods. It produces two-piece and three-piece steel food containers for packaging vegetables, fruit, soups, meat, seafood, nutritional products, pet food and other products. Ball Packaging Europe produces two-piece beverage cans and can ends for producers of beer, carbonated soft drinks, mineral water, fruit juices, energy drinks, isotonics, milk-based beverages, coffee drinks and alcoholic-mixed drinks. The aerospace and technologies segment includes defense operations, civil space systems and commercial space operations. On March 17, 2004, Ball acquired ConAgra Grocery Products Company's (ConAgra) interest in Ball Western Can Company LLC (Ball Western Can) located in Oakdale, California.

Financial Summary
BLL is a manufacturer of metal and plastic packaging, primarily for beverages and foods, and a supplier of aerospace and other technologies and services to commercial customers. For the six months ended 7/03/05, net sales rose 7% to $2.88B. Net income rose less than 1% to $137.6M. Results reflect strong demand for steel food cans and Heat-Tek bottles for hot-filled beverages, partially offset by lower margins and business consolidation costs.