News in Brief
Tata Steel fire raises fresh questions over resilience of UK steel supply chain
A fire at Tata Steel‘s Port Talbot site in South Wales has once again highlighted the strategic importance of domestic steel processing capacity to downstream industries, including metal packaging, at a time when the UK steel sector is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in its history. The company confirmed that all personnel were…
Coca-Cola puts Socceroos on-pack in new Football Australia partnership
Coca-Cola has launched a new two-year partnership with Football Australia, becoming the Official Supplier of the CommBank Socceroos and CommBank Matildas while rolling out a limited-edition beverage can promotion tied to the FIFA World Cup 2026. The agreement will see Coca-Cola activate around two of football’s biggest upcoming events – the FIFA World Cup 2026…
Crown helps Estrella Damm mark 150 years with multi-design anniversary can series
Spanish brewer Damm has partnered with Crown to launch a limited-edition beverage can series celebrating the 150th anniversary of its flagship beer brand, Estrella Damm. Founded in Barcelona in 1876, Damm is one of Spain’s largest brewing companies, with a portfolio of more than 25 brands sold in over 130 countries. To commemorate the milestone,…
Krones launches industry’s first robotic container distribution system
Krones has unveiled Robobox SynFlow, a new automation system that the company says is the first to use robotics for container distribution ahead of the packaging stage, introducing a new approach to handling bottles and cans before they enter the packer. Traditionally, containers are guided into packers using fixed mechanical systems that distribute products according…
INX Europe earns EcoVadis Gold Medal following sustainability performance improvements
INX Europe has been awarded EcoVadis Gold Medal status, placing the company among the top 5% of businesses assessed globally for sustainability performance and marking a significant improvement on the Silver rating it achieved in 2025. The recognition was awarded to INX UK following an increase in its overall EcoVadis score from 69 to 80,…
MBK Partners acquires aluminium packaging producer Altemira in ¥117.5bn deal
Asian private equity firm MBK Partners has agreed to acquire Japanese aluminium packaging and components manufacturer Altemira Holdings in a deal valued at approximately ¥117.5bn (US$760m), marking one of the largest recent transactions in the Asian aluminium packaging sector. MBK is acquiring the business from funds managed by Apollo Global Management, which created Altemira in…
Crown appoints Özgür Atas to lead Asia Pacific beverage can operations
Crown Holdings has appointed Ozgur Atas as President of its Asia Pacific division, effective 1 July 2026, as the company continues to expand its presence in some of the world’s fastest-growing beverage can markets. Based in Singapore, Atas will report to John Rost and will assume responsibility for Crown’s Asia Pacific operations after serving as…
Safcol backs canned food growth with A$80m manufacturing investment
Australian seafood producer Safcol has announced an A$80m investment in a new manufacturing facility in South Australia, a move that will significantly expand its production capacity and support growing demand for canned food products. The new facility, which will be developed in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, is expected to double Safcol’s manufacturing capacity and strengthen domestic…
ALFED launches strategic priorities framework at House of Lords reception
The Aluminium Federation (ALFED) has formally launched its new Positions & Strategic Priorities Framework for 2026-2027 during a House of Lords reception that brought together parliamentarians, industry leaders and representatives from across the UK aluminium value chain. Held on 2 June and hosted by Lord John Horam, the event welcomed more than 80 guests, including…
Sonoco highlights emissions progress and packaging innovation in latest sustainability report
Sonoco has published its latest Corporate Sustainability Report, outlining progress across emissions reduction, energy efficiency and sustainable packaging while highlighting the growing contribution of its metal packaging operations following the integration of Eviosys. The report details a year of operational improvements across the global packaging group’s network, including 17 energy efficiency and renewable energy projects…
