Colorado-based
Ball Metalpack, a manufacturer of steel cans for food and household products, today announced the addition of a new two-piece food can production line at its Milwaukee manufacturing plant at 8500 W. Tower Ave.
To support the line, which is operational as of today, the company said it will add approximately 50 additional employees to around 120 already working at the Milwaukee plant now, for a total workforce at the facility of more than 170.
The new, high-speed two-piece food can production line will support the production of millions of food cans per year and will allow Ball Metalpack to meet growing demand from customers in the food and nutrition industries, the company said. It is the second high-speed two-piece production line at the Milwaukee plant, enabling the plant to have a quicker ramp-up time and a lower total cost structure.
Ball Metalpack now has 4 high-speed two-piece can lines across its eight North American plants, the company said.
“We’re excited to launch our newest two-piece food can line, increasing our capacity and signaling our commitment to grow with our customers' needs,” said Jim Peterson, Ball Metalpack chief executive officer. “We continue to see increased demand for our food cans and this large investment in our manufacturing capacity is the direct result of several long-term contracts with key customers.”
Ball Metalpack was formed in June 2018 as a
joint venture between majority owner Platinum Equity and Ball Corp. Ball Metalpack has eight plants in the U.S.
The addition at the Milwaukee plant is the second new line to be added by the company this year. It announced a new high-speed aerosol can line in January at its DeForest, Wisconsin, can manufacturing plant, which became operational earlier this year.
The company said it invests nearly $10 million annually with local suppliers for its two Wisconsin plants.