Ardagh to expand beverage can production

Luxembourg-based Ardagh Group has announced that it will add two new high-speed beverage can manufacturing lines at its Olive Branch, Mississippi, facility to address increased demand for beverage cans.

Claude Marbach, CEO of Ardagh Metal – Beverage North America, based in Chicago, says, "This is one of a number of significant capacity expansion investments we are initiating to meet growing demand as consumers and customers increasingly recognize the sustainability advantages of beverage cans. Beverage cans deliver high recycled content rates, often driving the effectiveness of municipal recycling systems due to the inherent value of aluminum. And with ideal filling, distribution and retail display economics, beverage cans enable customers to further build their brand and bottom line."

In a statement Ardagh shared with Recycling Today, the company says the investment in Olive Branch "is one of many we are implementing to address increased demand for infinitely recyclable beverage cans" nad the "largest element of our 2020 program."

Ardagh tells Recycling Today the first of these two new lines will start production in late-November, while the and the second line will begin production by the end of this year. 

"The additional capacity allows our U.S. operations to fulfill customer contracts and address what is clearly growing interest by consumers for more sustainable beverage packaging," the company adds. 

The Ardagh Olive Branch facility, built in 1988 on more than 20 acres of land, also will add more than 80 new jobs as part of the capacity expansion, increasing the number of employees at the plant to more than 200.

The company says the plant's new production initially will focus on the Ardagh Sleek line, which is used to package hard seltzers, beer, energy drinks and teas.