Ball underlines print technology innovation for aluminium packaging

The relaunch of Ball’s proprietary printing technology Dynamark for its beverage cans “opens up a whole new level of creative freedom”, according to Jag Bains, vice president commercial EMEA, in a presentation at The Canmaker Summit this week in Sitges, Spain.

The upgraded system Dynamark Advanced Pro is a printing technology developed to enable advanced performance and is available across most of Ball’s plants in Europe, she said. 

Bains highlighted the flexible customisation of the printing technology and said Dynamark offers brands the capacity to vary can labels throughout a production run, with up to 12 different images, enabling them to produce seasonal or promotional designs more efficiently and enhancing consumer engagement through personalisation.

“Dynamark Advanced Pro opens up a whole new level of creative freedom for brands, allowing them to connect more deeply with consumers through personalised, visually captivating packaging,” she said.

The week before the summit, Ball acquired Spain-based aluminium can and bottle manufacturer Alucan, Bains said. As demand for sustainable aluminium packaging continues to grow among customers and consumers, the Alucan acquisition adds incremental capacity and capabilities to expand Ball’s aluminium aerosol and bottle packaging business in Europe, she added.

She asserted that with the divestiture of Ball’s aerospace division earlier this year, Ball has demonstrated its commitment to becoming a ‘pure play’ aluminium company. The company has crystalised its focus as a leader in aluminium packaging sustainability with an expansive product portfolio.

Marcel Arsand, director of sustainability & public affairs, co-presented the session in Sitges entitled ‘Unlocking the infinite potential of aluminium’, in which he and Bains also discussed the sustainability advantages of aluminium as a packaging material, emphasising its recyclability and role in promoting a circular economy. They highlighted Ball’s commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of beverage cans and shared insights into the company’s strategies for increasing recycling rates and achieving circularity in packaging.

The two recent announcements reflect Ball’s strategic push to innovate in aluminium packaging while solidifying its position as a leader in sustainable and customisable aluminium packaging solutions, Bains told delegates.

In his address, Arsand emphasised Ball Corporation’s commitment to sustainability and climate goals, which he said underscores the urgency of accelerating the company’s shift towards renewable energy and carbon reduction targets. Ball has pledged to align its operations with the global target of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This includes the aim to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2030, with intermediary steps already in progress through virtual power purchase agreements.

A major focus of Arsand’s talk was the effectiveness of deposit return systems (DRS) in driving higher recycling rates for beverage packaging. He highlighted how DRS initiatives have significantly boosted recycling rates, achieving more than a 90% collection rate in one country – Slovakia – within just a few years of implementation. In other countries, he said collection rates in Romania rose from 35% to around 84-85% in less than a year, and Latvia achieved 73%, a rate that would be higher as Finnish consumers bought beverages in Latvia and recycled them in Finland.

He also highlighted the need for industry-wide collaboration to meet the growing demands for sustainable packaging and higher recycling rates. Ball’s commitment to increasing recycled content and enhancing recyclability aligns with customer demands and impending regulations. However, he cautioned that achieving these goals will require strong partnerships across the supply chain and compliance with evolving regulations on recyclability and reusable content.

Alucan Entec secured the Silver prize in the Cans of the Year Awards at The Canmaker Summit in Sitges, Spain, in the General Line category for its monobloc aluminium bottle made from 100% recycled aluminium with a flat shoulder finish.

Bains, who collected the award on behalf of Alucan, commented: “We are delighted to win the award, which is a great testament to the Alucan team!

“We look forward to Alucan being part of our Ball family and bringing together more innovation and brand executions that push visual boundaries. Many congratulations to the team!”