Oct 15 2010
Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK), a leading supplier of metal packaging products worldwide, announced today a major expansion of its beverage can production capacity in Turkey. The investment plan includes increasing capacity at the Company's existing two-line facility in Izmit, near Istanbul, and the construction of a new manufacturing plant in the Osmaniye region, in south-central Turkey.
The capacity addition at the Izmit plant will be complete in early 2011, with the new Osmaniye plant due to be operational by early 2012. The new plant will initially have one line producing aluminum cans and will be designed to support additional production lines as future market needs require. Located near the port of Mersin in the Mediterranean Sea, this new investment will also provide a strong platform for exports to the surrounding markets in the Middle East and North Africa.
The expansion program will add approximately 1 billion two-piece aluminum cans per annum in 33cl and 50cl sizes, bringing Crown's total production capacity in Turkey to approximately 2.5 billion beverage cans.
"With its growing population and its strategic location in the center of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Turkey is one of Europe's most promising beverage markets. Crown has almost 20 years of experience in Turkey, and we are extremely pleased to be developing our capacity in this market in line with the growing demands of our customers in the region," said Chris Homfray, President Crown Europe.