BROOMFIELD, Colo., March 6/ -- Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL), Daiwa Can Company and Mitsui & Co, Ltd., announced today that they have entered into an exclusive agreement for the sales and distribution of Daiwa's New Bottle Can beverage container in North America.

Under the agreement, Ball will act as exclusive sales representative to Daiwa and Mitsui for the distribution of the New Bottle Can for customers in the United States and Canada. The New Bottle Can, which is the first commercially successful reclosable metal beverage container in Japan, is currently manufactured in sizes ranging from 350 ml to 500 ml. and will initially be imported from Japan. More than 3 billion New Bottle Cans have been sold worldwide since debuting in 2000. In addition to the sales importation agreement, Ball, Daiwa and Mitsui will also work to establish a manufacturing facility for the New Bottle Can in North America if market conditions warrant.


"This is an exciting new package that offers consumers the additional convenience of a reclosable container to the long list of well-known aluminum can attributes, such as superior shelf life, the ability to chill quickly and easier recyclability," said Ball's Leon A. Midgett, executive vice president and chief operating officer, packaging. "We will work closely with our customers to explore ways to introduce the New Bottle Can in ways that take advantage of its distinctive look, superior graphics and cube efficiency in order to attract attention on shelves and in cold boxes. This looks to be a wonderful package for the right products. It provides a sleek, tamper proof alternative to competing packages."

Ball Corporation is one of the world's leading suppliers of metal and plastic packaging to the beverage and food industries. The company also owns Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. With the addition of Ball Packaging Europe, acquired in December 2002, Ball expects sales in 2003 of approximately $5.1 billion, $4.6 billion from its packaging segment and $500 million from its aerospace and technologies segment.

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 Nov. 14, 2002, for a summary of key risk factors that could affect actual results or outcomes. Factors that might affect the packaging segment or business 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, the proposed German mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging legislation such as recycling laws; 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 aluminum; pricing and ability or inability to sell scrap; and international business risks (including foreign exchange rates) particularly in the United States, Europe and in developing countries such as China and Brazil. Factors that may affect the aerospace segment or business are: funding, authorization, and availability of government 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; regulatory action or laws including those related to corporate governance and financial reporting, regulations and standards, business consolidation investment costs and the net realizable value of assets associated with the company's activities; goodwill impairment; changes in generally accepted accounting principles or their interpretation; litigation; antitrust, intellectual property, consumer and other issues; strikes; boycotts; interest rates and level of company debt; terrorist activities, war or catastrophic events; and U.S. and foreign economic conditions.



Corporate Profile
Ball Corporation is one of the world's leading suppliers of metal and plastic packaging to the beverage and food industries. The company also owns Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Ball, based in Broomfield, Colo., reported 2002 sales of $3.9 billion. Ball's packaging strategy is to manufacture, market, sell and service products that will meet the metal and plastic packaging needs of the beverage and food markets. In aerospace, Ball capitalizes on the world-class capabilities of its aerospace and technologies subsidiary.