Ball Corp

Company historystock was traded over the counter. On
In 1880, Frank C. and Edmund B. Ball, two of theDecember 17, 1973, the stock was admitted for
five Ball brothers of fruit jar fame, borrowedtrading on the New York Stock Exchange under
$200 from their Uncle George Ball to buy thethe symbol BLL. Stock began trading at $26 per
Wooden Jacket Can Company. The woodenshare.
jackets encased tin cans which held kerosene.Company headquarters moved from Muncie,
Because the acid used to refine kerosene causedIndiana to Broomfield, Colorado in 1998. Ball no
corrosion in tin, the brothers decided to use glasslonger produces the glass fruit jar. Instead, the
for the inserts of the wood jacketed cans. Initially,license to produce the jar is owned by Jarden
they bought the glass containers from a factoryHome Brands. Jarden produces all lids for all brands
in Poughkeepsie, New York. In 1882, the factoryof fruit jars at its Muncie, Indiana plant. Jars are
that supplied the glass containers was destroyedmade by a variety of glass producers.
by fire. Some of the glassblowers from thatHistoric milestones
factory suggested to the Ball brothers that theyIn 1909, the first Ball Blue Book was printed
build their own factory. They purchased land infeaturing home canning recipes and techniques.
East Buffalo and built a two-story brick building forIn 1956, Ball formed Ball Brothers Research
the stamping works and a one-story frameCorporation to produce goods and services for
factory for the glass works. Because of thethe aerospace sector. This was converted to a
volume of business, a larger furnace was soonwholly owned subsidiary, Ball Aerospace &
needed. In order to use the full capacity of theTechnologies Corp., in 1995.
furnace, it was decided to make other glassIn 1994, Ball began manufacturing PET plastic
products.containers.
Sometime in 1884, Frank and Edmund discoveredIn 1995, Ball created Ball-Foster Glass Container
that the patent covering the Mason ImprovedCo., a joint venture glass company with
fruit jar had expired. This meant that they couldSaint-Gobain.
make the fruit jars in the glass works and theIn 1996, Ball exited the glass business, selling it to
metal lids in the metal factory. The uffalo jarsSaint-Gobain.
were made for part of 1884, 1885 and 1886. TheIn 2002, Ball acquired Schmalbach-Lubeca AG, the
BBGMCo (Ball Brothers Glass ManufacturingGerman-based metal beverage company, and
Company) logo was used on the jars, which werecreated Ball Packaging Europe.
either amber or aqua. Sizes ranged fromIn 2005, Ball celebrated its 125th anniversary.
half-gallon to pint and midget.In 2006, Ball acquired U.S. Can, Inc., the largest
In 1886, while on a business trip in Cleveland,U.S. manufacturer of aerosol cans.
Frank heard about the gas boom in Findlay, Ohio.In 2008, Ball Corporation issued its first
After visiting Findlay, Frank told Edmund about thesustainability report. The report was a co-winner
advantages of natural gas for glass making.for Best First Time Reporter award in 2009 in the
Edmund then visited several towns in the gasACCA-Ceres North American Sustainability
fields, including Muncie, Indiana. After he returned,Awards.
he and Frank decided that they should make aCurrent major subsidiaries
more extensive trip to investigate the possibilityBall Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
of locating a factory in a gas boom town. TheyBall Packaging Europe
briefly had doubts about extending beyond BuffaloEnvironmental record
but decided that to grow their glass business,In 2008, Ball Corporation issued its first
they had to explore the possibility of takingsustainability report. The report was a co-winner
advantage of gas. Frank and Edmund stoppedfor Best First Time Reporter award in 2009 in the
first in Fostoria, Ohio where they wereACCA-Ceres North American Sustainability
enthusiastically welcomed. The next stop wasAwards. Ball's next sustainability report is
Bowling Green. After one night in town, Edmundexpected in mid-2010.
returned to Buffalo. When Frank had been inBall was chosen as a member of the FTSE4Good
Bowling Green for about a week, he received aIndex Series in 2009. FTSE4Good recognizes
telegram from James Boyce of Muncie. Frank saidcompanies that meet globally recognized
that aving become weary of the monotonous lifecorporate responsibility standards.
in Bowling Green and ready for a change, IBall was listed as #111 of 500 companies in
decided to run down to Muncie and see whatNewsweek magazine's first annual green rankings,
they had to offer.released in September 2009.
Frank was courted by the town leaders, andResearchers at the University of Massachusetts
according to him, here was nothing about theAmherst have identified Ball as the 59th-largest
town that particularly appealed to me, but thecorporate producer of air pollution in the United
men were all courteous, kind, and businesslike.States, with roughly 4.5 million pounds of toxic
Frank agreed to a proposal which included achemicals released annually into the air. Major
factory site of seven acres, a gas well and cash.pollutants indicated by the study include glycol
In addition, the city agreed to provide railroadethers and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene.
facilities. By September, 1887, construction hadReferences
begun on the Muncie factory.Ball, Frank Clayton. "Memoirs of Frank Clayton
F.C. remained in Muncie after getting the factoryBall". Muncie, Indiana. 1937.
up and running. That same year, E.B. closed theBrantley, William F. "A Collector Guide to Ball Jars".
Buffalo glass factory and moved to Muncie. W.C.Rosemary Humbert Martin, Publisher. Muncie,
and G.A. remained in Buffalo to operate theIndiana. 1975
stamping works and a factory in Bath, New York.Birminham, Frederic A. "Ball Corporation: The First
G.A. moved to Muncie by 1893 and W.C. by 1897.Century". Curtis Publishing Company, Indianapolis.
L.L. received his doctor of medicine degree from1980.
the University of Buffalo in 1889. He served asConn, Earl. "Beneficence: Stories about the Ball
the house physician in Adrian Hospital inFamilies of Muncie". Minnetrista Cultural Foundation,
Pennsylvania then practiced in Buffalo. He movedInc. Muncie, Indiana. 2003.
to Muncie in 1894.Glass, James A. "The Gas boom of East Central
On February 7, 1888, a Certificate ofIndiana". Arcadia Publishers, Chicago. 2005.
Incorporation was filed for the Ball Glass WorksMinnetrista Heritage Collection
of Muncie. On February 18, fires were started inMyers, George E. The Story of Ball Brothers,
the furnace, on February 26, the blowers beganVolume 1. 1965.
to arrive and on March 1, the first products were^ "Saint-Gobain joins with Ball on glass venture".
made. The first products made in Muncie wereThe New York Times. Wednesday, June 28, 1995.
coal oil containers and lamp chimneys, not fruitRetrieved November 2, 2009. 
jars.^ "Saint-Gobain buys out American partner". The
Ball remained a family-owned business for moreNew York Times. Tuesday, September 17, 1996.
than 90 years, manufacturing fruit jars, lids, andRetrieved November 2, 2009. 
related products. In the 1950s, Ball entered the^ Political Economy Research Institute Toxic 100
aerospace industry. Glass production in Muncie,(Study released May 11, 2006) retrieved 17 Aug
Indiana ceased in 1962 but continued at other Ball2007
plants. Ball went public on July 13, 1972, and its^ Toxics Release Inventory courtesy rtknet.