UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
March 6, 2000
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(Date of earliest event reported)
Commission file number 1-7349
BALL CORPORATION
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(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Indiana 1-7349 35-0160610
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(State of Commission IRS Employer
Incorporation) File No.) Identification No.)
10 Longs Peak Drive, P.O. Box 5000, Broomfield, CO 80021-2510
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(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
(303) 469-5511
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(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable
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(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
<PAGE>
Ball Corporation
Current Report on Form 8-K
Dated March 6, 2000
Item 2. Disposition of Assets
Ball Corporation and ConAgra Grocery Products Company, a unit of ConAgra, Inc.,
announced on February 24, 2000, that they have signed a definitive agreement to
form a strategic alliance for the manufacture and supply of metal food
containers for ConAgra Grocery Products.
The two companies agreed to form a joint venture company called Ball Western Can
Company to acquire and operate certain ConAgra Grocery Products can
manufacturing assets in California. Additionally, Ball will purchase certain can
manufacturing assets now owned and used by the ConAgra Grocery Products plant in
Newport, Tennessee. The new joint venture company and Ball will then supply
metal food cans and ends under long-term agreements to ConAgra Grocery Products,
whose requirements are currently about one billion cans and ends per year.
Ball and ConAgra Grocery Products believe that the transaction will be finalized
by the end of March 2000.
The text of the press release disseminated by the Company on February 24, 2000,
is filed with this report as Exhibit 99.1.
<PAGE>
Ball Corporation
Current Report on Form 8-K
Dated March 6, 2000
EXHIBIT INDEX
Description Exhibit
Text of Press Release Disseminated by the Registrant on
February 24, 2000 (Filed herewith) EX-99.1
<PAGE>
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Ball Corporation
(Registrant)
By: /s/ R. David Hoover
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Name: R. David Hoover
Title: Vice Chairman, President
and Chief Financial Officer
Date: March 6, 2000
<PAGE>
Exhibit 99.1
Contacts: Ball Corporation ConAgra Grocery Products Company
Scott McCarty Kay Carpenter
Broomfield, CO Fullerton, Calif.
(303) 460-2103 (714) 680-1144
Ball, ConAgra Grocery Products Agree to Form Strategic Alliance
BROOMFIELD, Colo. Feb. 24, 2000 -- Ball Corporation [NYSE:BLL] and ConAgra
Grocery Products Company, a unit of ConAgra, Inc. [NYSE: CAG], announced today
that they have signed a definitive agreement to form a strategic alliance for
the manufacture and supply of metal food containers for ConAgra Grocery
Products.
Under the alliance, the two companies will form a joint venture company
called Ball Western Can Company to acquire and operate certain ConAgra Grocery
Products can manufacturing assets in California. Additionally, Ball will
purchase certain can manufacturing assets now employed in the ConAgra Grocery
Products plant in Newport, Tenn., and relocate them to an existing Ball plant
near Knoxville, Tenn. The new joint venture company and Ball then will supply
metal food cans and ends under long-term agreements to ConAgra Grocery Products,
whose requirements are currently about one billion cans and ends per year.
Ball and ConAgra Grocery Products said they expect to have the transaction
finalized by the end of March. ConAgra Grocery Products Company manufactures and
markets such well-known brand names as Hunt's tomato products; Wesson oils;
Orville Redenbacher's Popping Corn; Swiss Miss puddings and cocoas; Knott's
jams, jellies and preserves; Peter Pan Peanut Butter; Rosarita Mexican Foods;
Van Camp's Beans; and Healthy Choice soup and pasta sauce to name a few. ConAgra
Grocery Products is an operating company of ConAgra, Inc., a $25 billion
multi-national company that is the world's second largest food conglomerate.
Ball Corporation produces rigid metal and plastic packaging products,
primarily for foods and beverages, and supplies aerospace and other technologies
to government and commercial customers. The company reported 1999 sales of
$3.6 billion.
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