Crown Holding's new beverage facility in the can

Crown Holdings, a leading supplier of metal packaging products worldwide, opened its new beverage can manufacturing plant in Nichols, New York, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on 9 May.

The state-of-the-art plant, which marks the industry’s first greenfield facility in the United States in more than 20 years, will support the country’s growing demand for specialty beverage cans. Specialty cans, defined as sizes other than the standard diameter for 12-ounce beverages, have become a popular format for a variety of categories including soft drinks, beer, ready-to-drink teas, coffee, sparkling waters, wine and spirits, juices and other functional beverages.

“This new facility reflects Crown’s commitment to support its customers with capacity when and where they need it and underscores our philosophy of delivering innovative metal packaging that responds to demands of modern consumers,” said Timothy J Donahue, president and chief executive officer of Crown.

The facility produces two-piece aluminium cans in a range of sizes and is set to create more than 160 new jobs by 2018. Crown’s presence in New York also provides the potential for further development in the Southern Tier Region, where efforts to grow the advanced manufacturing sector are underway.

Construction on the 533,853 square foot building began in December 2015 and commercial shipments began in late January 2017. The plant’s second manufacturing line was completed in April 2017. Crown currently operates 15 beverage can plants in North America, manufacturing aluminium cans ranging in size from 7.5 to 16 ounces, as well as a variety of beverage can ends. The opening of the new facility coincides with Crown’s 125th anniversary year.