Ball Brothers Glass Manufacturing Company

Ball Corporation

File:Ball Corporation logo.svg Logo used since 2020
Company type	Public
Industry	Manufacturing (Aluminum packaging, Aerospace)
Founded	January 1, 1880 (1880-01-01) in Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Founder	Frank C. Ball, Edmund B. Ball, William Ball, Lucius Ball, George Ball
Headquarters	Westminster, Colorado , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Dan Fisher (CEO)
Products	Recyclable aluminum beverage cans, metal packaging, aerospace technologies
Number of employees	(not specified)
Website	www.ball.com

Ball Corporation is a U.S.-based manufacturer specializing in aluminum products, with its main office located in Westminster, Colorado. Established in 1880 in Buffalo, New York under the name Wooden Jacket Can Company, its original focus was on producing glass jars and lids intended for home food preservation. In 1886, the Ball siblings rebranded the business as Ball Brothers Glass Manufacturing Company and by 1889 had shifted operations to Muncie, Indiana. The firm adopted the name Ball Brothers Company in 1922 and later became Ball Corporation in 1969. It entered the public market on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol BLL in 1973, which was updated to BALL in 2022.

Throughout its history, Ball expanded beyond glass jar production into aerospace technologies and emerged as the leading global producer of recyclable aluminum packaging for beverages, household goods, and personal care items. The company exited the home canning sector in 1996 by divesting its subsidiary Alltrista, which eventually evolved into Jarden Corporation. Jarden merged with Newell Rubbermaid in 2016 to create Newell Brands, which continues to market products under the Ball brand name for canning and mason jars.

Ball Corporation’s business strategy centers on metal packaging solutions and aerospace innovations, catering to international markets with a prominent role in recyclable aluminum container manufacturing. Its visionary leadership has consistently propelled growth and enhanced its standing within the packaging industry.

Early years

In 1880, Frank C. and Edmund B. Ball secured nearly $200 from their uncle George Harvey Ball—who was also the founder and inaugural president of Keuka College—to acquire the Wooden Jacket Can Company located in Buffalo, New York. Their brothers William, Lucius, and George soon joined the venture, expanding the family enterprise. Initially, the Ball brothers produced tin cans encased in wooden jackets designed for kerosene, paint, and varnish storage; they later substituted tin with glass inserts to avoid corrosion issues. They initially sourced glass containers from a factory in Poughkeepsie but soon established their own glass manufacturing facility in Buffalo after encouragement from Belgian glass artisans. Although a fire destroyed their early glass factory, they rebuilt it while enhancing production methods to sustain furnace output and product variety.

By approximately 1884, anticipating that the Mason jar patent would expire soon, the company began manufacturing canning jars available in half-gallon, pint, and midget sizes featuring metal lids stamped at their Buffalo plant. These jars bore their logo and were produced using amber or aqua-colored glass.

On February 13, 1886, the five Ball brothers formally incorporated as Ball Brothers Manufacturing Company. After a fire damaged their Buffalo factory that same year, they considered relocating closer to natural gas sources to lower manufacturing expenses. Following visits to Ohio towns benefiting from a natural gas boom such as Fostoria and Bowling Green, Frank Ball accepted an offer from Muncie officials: seven acres for building a factory site, access to a gas well, a $5,000 cash incentive, plus railroad connectivity. Construction commenced in September 1887.

The initial glass plant in Muncie opened in 1888; its first products included oil containers and lamp chimneys rather than fruit jars. By 1889, both headquarters and production facilities had fully transferred to Muncie. The remaining brothers moved there by the late 1890s to centralize operations.

Despite challenges like fires occurring in 1891 and 1898 along with the economic downturn of 1893, the company significantly increased output—from producing 22 million fruit jars in 1894 to 37 million by 1897. As natural gas supplies diminished, coal-fueled gas converters were installed. The patented F.C. Ball machine introduced in 1898 enabled large-scale glassware manufacturing, reinforcing their market dominance. By 1905, Ball Brothers operated seven factories alongside their main plant in Muncie and produced approximately 60 million canning jars annually.

Labor tensions arose in March 1910 when employees at the Muncie facility organized under Local 200 of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) seeking higher wages. Although an initial agreement was reached, management later reneged and threatened a lockout. The strike lost momentum due to non-participation by machinists affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, ultimately ending unsuccessfully by late April.

Diversification

For more than nine decades, Ball operated as a family-owned enterprise, adopting the name Ball Brothers Company in 1922 and gaining recognition for producing fruit jars, lids, and related home canning supplies. To enhance its primary product line—glass jars equipped with metal lids and sealing rings—the company integrated a zinc strip rolling mill, rubber ring manufacturing capabilities, and a paper mill dedicated to packaging. Additionally, it expanded its operations into tin, steel, and plastic manufacturing.

Throughout the Great Depression and World War II, Ball shifted its strategy by broadening its product offerings. By 1939, it was responsible for manufacturing 54% of canning jars in the United States but experienced reduced demand during the 1930s. This decline prompted the company to enter the commercial jar and bottle market. During wartime, production pivoted toward military shells and machine components. Following antitrust rulings after the war, Ball faced restrictions on acquiring glass manufacturers or machinery producers without judicial consent. By 1949, a drop in jar demand resulted in the company’s first operating loss, driving further diversification efforts.

In the 1950s, Ball ventured into aerospace through the establishment of Ball Brothers Research Corporation with facilities in Boulder, Colorado, and Muncie. Around 1959, it began producing aerospace hardware, including NASA’s OSO-1 satellite launched in 1962 with funding of $1.4 million in grants. Despite challenges such as a fatal explosion in 1964 that damaged OSO-2, Ball secured additional contracts for satellite production.

The company extended its reach into avionics, aerospace systems, as well as metal containers for beverages and food. In 1969, it rebranded as Ball Corporation and acquired Jeffco Manufacturing Company, becoming the largest global manufacturer of recyclable aluminum beverage cans. Glass production ceased at Muncie in 1962 and was phased out entirely by 1996; however, Ball retained its leadership position within metal packaging.

Ball transitioned to a public company on July 13, 1972, and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1973 under the ticker symbol BALL. The initial stock price was $26 per share (pre-split), with six subsequent stock splits.

In 1996, Ball divested from home canning by spinning off Alltrista—a subsidiary that included Ball jars and associated products—which had become independent in 1993 and later rebranded as Jarden Corporation in 2001. Jarden merged with Newell Rubbermaid in 2016 to form Newell Brands, which currently licenses the Ball brand for home-canning merchandise.

Ball pursued international expansion by acquiring China’s M.C. Packaging Ltd. in 1997, positioning itself as the leading can supplier within that market. The following year, headquarters moved from Muncie to Broomfield, Colorado to better manage worldwide metal food and beverage container production alongside aerospace services.

Growth continued through acquisitions such as Germany’s Schmalbach-Lubeca AG in 2002—establishing Ball Packaging Europe—and increasing beverage can sales by over $1 billion annually. In 2006, Ball entered the steel aerosol packaging sector through its purchase of U.S. Can.

In 2009, Ball Aerospace launched NASA’s Kepler space telescope equipped with the largest camera ever sent beyond Earth’s orbit. That same year also saw Ball acquire four metal beverage can facilities from AB InBev.

By 2010, following acquisitions of Neuman Aluminum and Aerocan S.A.S., Ball had become the world’s largest supplier of aluminum slugs. The acquisition of British firm Rexam plc in 2016 further solidified its position as the top global producer of aluminum beverage cans.

Innovation continued with the introduction of the lightweight Aluminum Cup in 2019—earning accolades from Fast Company—and gaining widespread adoption within sports arenas and entertainment venues.

In 2020, Ball secured naming rights for Denver’s Pepsi Center—renaming it Ball Arena—as part of a long-term partnership with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment.

In 2024, Ball divested its aerospace division to BAE Systems for $5.6 billion to concentrate on “low-carbon, best-value aluminum packaging initiatives,” according to CEO Dan Fisher.

During Q1 of 2025, Ball sold its Aluminum Cup segment and established a joint venture called Oasis Venture Holdings with majority stakeholder Ayna.AI to accelerate growth within industrial technology packaging markets.

Company milestones

• In 1880, Frank and Edmund Ball purchased the Wood Jacket Can Company in Buffalo, New York, which later evolved into Ball Corporation
• The company was officially incorporated in 1886 as Ball Brothers Glass Manufacturing Company
• A new glass production facility was established in Muncie, Indiana, in 1887, while metal manufacturing activities persisted in Buffalo and Bath, New York
• By 1889, operations related to metal fittings were consolidated and moved to Muncie
• The F. C. Ball Machine, recognized as the world's first semiautomatic glass machine, was invented in 1897 and patented the following year
• The publication of The Correct Method for Preserving Fruit occurred in 1909, serving as the forerunner to The Ball Blue Book
• The company adopted the name Ball Brothers Company in 1922
• In 1945, a fire inflicted approximately $500,000 in damages on Muncie's first glass plant
• Ball Brothers Research Corporation was created in 1956 to focus on aerospace products; it became a wholly owned subsidiary named Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. by 1995
• The acquisition of Industrial Rubber of St. Joseph, Michigan took place in 1961; this business was later sold in 1978
• The Muncie glass plant ceased operations in 1962
• In 1969, the company rebranded as Ball Corporation and entered the beverage can sector through the purchase of Jeffco Manufacturing Co.
• Ball Corporation went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1973
• The Alltrista subsidiary was spun off in 1993; it was renamed Jarden Corporation in 2002 and merged with Newell Rubbermaid in 2016; Newell Brands retains rights to the Ball trademark for home-canning goods
• Production of PET plastic containers commenced in 1994
• A joint venture with Saint-Gobain led to the formation of Ball-Foster Glass Container Co. in 1995
• By 1996, Ball exited the glass container industry by selling its stake in Ball-Foster to Saint-Gobain and simultaneously entered the Brazilian beverage can market via the Ball-Embalagens Ltda joint venture
• Corporate headquarters were relocated from Muncie to Broomfield, Colorado, in 1998
• In 2002, Ball Packaging Europe was established following the acquisition of Schmalbach-Lubeca AG
• The company marked its 125th anniversary in 2005
• Acquisition of U.S. Can, the largest aerosol can manufacturer in the United States, occurred in 2006
• Ball published its inaugural sustainability report in 2008
• In 2010, Aerocan S.A.S., a producer of aluminum aerosol cans and bottles, was acquired for $292 million; concurrently, Ball exited its plastics segment by selling interests to Amcor plc
• The UK packaging firm Rexam was acquired by Ball Corporation in 2016
• In 2020, Ball purchased Tubex Industria E Comercio de Embalagens Ltda in Brazil for $80 million and secured naming rights for Denver’s Pepsi Center, which was renamed Ball Arena
• The divestiture of Ball Aerospace to BAE Systems took place in 2024 for $5.6 billion cash; additionally, Alucan was acquired to broaden sustainable extruded aluminum packaging capabilities
• In 2025, Florida Can Manufacturing was acquired and a joint venture with Ayna.AI was formed to market the Ball Aluminum Cup® business

Environmental record

Since launching structured sustainability initiatives in 2006, Ball Corporation has made substantial progress enhancing its environmental impact. The company's first sustainability report appeared in 2008 and earned the ACCA-Ceres North American Sustainability Award for Best First Time Reporter a year later. Annual sustainability disclosures continue to be published regularly, including the most recent Combined Annual & Sustainability Report.

Ball’s dedication to environmental stewardship has been recognized by prominent entities such as TIME’s World's Most Sustainable Companies list for 2024; USA Today and Statista's America's Climate Leaders list (2024); FTSE4Good’s Index Series (2024); S&P Global's Sustainability Yearbook (2023 and 2024 editions); Newsweek’s America's Most Responsible Companies from 2020 through 2024; and inclusion on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for 2022. These honors highlight Ball's effective integration of sustainability principles within its corporate strategy and worldwide operations.

Additional resources

• Glass, James A. (December 2000). The Gas Boom of East Central Indiana. Indiana Magazine of History, Indiana University, Bloomington, 96(4), 313–335.
• Myers, George E. (1965). The Story of Ball Brothers. Ball Brothers Company.

Related links

• Official site