Ball Corporation has been significantly investing in its aluminium beverage packaging division as the company seeks to capitalise on the preference shifting away from plastic and glass globally.

The company’s beverage can volumes went up 6% in figures released earlier this month for the first quarter of 2021.

With the demand for beverage cans increasing, Ball will invest around $1.5billion this year to increase capacity to meet that demand.

It follows the $1.1billion investment made in 2020.

Significant investment has been made in the North and Central America segment with the new facility in Glendale, AZ, successfully beginning operations in Q1 of 2021.

The facility at Pittston, PA, is expected to be up and running in Q2, with both expected to end the year with four operational lines.

The new aluminium end manufacturing facility in Bowling Green, KY is expected to begin production in late 2021.

In the EMEA segment, beverage can line additions will be made in the UK, Czech Republic and Russia in order to meet demand.

In the South America segment, the multi-line facility in Frutal, Brazil, is expected to begin production in the second half of this year.

Ball Corporation also announced this week that the first-of-its-kind Ball Aluminum Cup is now available for purchase at major retailers in all 50 states across the US.

Between May and June, the cups will be available for the first time in more than 18,000 food, drug and mass retailers, including Kroger, Target, Albertsons, CVS and others.

Over the past year, Ball has seen its share price appreciate by 34%, according to Yahoo.

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