Ball Corporation, the leading global provider of sustainable aluminium packaging for beverages, personal and home care products, has been recognised at the 32nd edition of the EMBANEWS Awards, one of Brazil’s most prestigious honours in the packaging sector, with four awards in the categories of ‘Technology and Quality’, ‘Packaging Raw Materials’, ‘Innovation’ and ‘Sustainability.’

The honoured projects, developed in collaboration with Brazilian brands Aeroflex, Night Power and Soffie, exemplify Ball’s continued leadership in combining material science, design innovation and environmental responsibility. 

Both the Aeroflex and Soffie  initiatives feature the use of ReAl, Ball’s proprietary lightweight aluminium alloy, which enables can walls to be thinner while maintaining strength and durability. This breakthrough reduces the overall material footprint, allowing cans to be up to 15% lighter, supporting decarbonisation and circularity goals.

The Night Power can, winner of the Innovation category, features the first braille-embossed lid for energy drinks in Brazil. Winning the Innovation award celebrates the collaboration between Ball, Minalba and the Dorina Nowill Foundation for the blind, which acted as a technical consultant in developing the technology that made the can more accessible to visually impaired individuals. The braille-embossed lid marks a significant advancement in Brazil’s beverage sector, promoting inclusion and accessibility in consumption.

Camila Vila Verde, marketing manager at Ball for South America, commented on the importance of this innovation: “We believe that true innovation only happens when it is designed for everyone. Winning the EMBANEWS Award with the braille-embossed lid reinforces our commitment to accessibility.”

She added that the award symbolises Ball’s commitment to combining accessibility, sustainability and technology to transform the consumption experience. “This award reflects our conviction that impactful innovation is possible, promoting inclusion and showing that every detail matters in creating solutions that shape the future of packaging.”

In the Soffie project, which won two awards, Ball optimised the can diameter to fully leverage the performance advantages of ReAl®, resulting in a 26% reduction in aluminium usage per package, a 12% improvement in the aluminium-to-product ratiomand incorporation of 50% recycled content. The packaging also features mineral oil-free inks, offering a safer, more environmentally responsible solution.

“Innovation and sustainability are deeply embedded in our brand values,” said Clynton Cortez, chief executive officer at Soffie. 

“Partnering with Ball allowed us to take a bold step forward, delivering packaging that not only meets our performance standards, but also aligns with the expectations of today’s environmentally conscious consumers.”

In the Aeroflex project, the ReAl alloy enabled a 23% reduction in wall thickness, resulting in a 16% reduction in aluminium content per aerosol can, without compromising can integrity or performance.

“We’re proud to collaborate with Ball on a solution that combines advanced material science with practical environmental benefits,” said Geisa Miksza, managing director at Aeroflex. 

“This project reflects our commitment to innovating responsibly and reducing our environmental footprint across the product lifecycle.” Both initiatives reinforce Ball’s commitment to responsible sourcing and advancing true circularity in the aluminium value chain.

“Receiving this recognition from EMBANEWS is a powerful validation of Ball’s continued leadership in advancing sustainable packaging innovation,” said Victoria Marletta, vice president, commercial, personal & home care, Ball Corporation.

“Sustainability is embedded into our product development, operations and partnerships. These award-winning collaborations, showcase how we are leveraging cutting-edge material science and our ReAl® alloy to reduce aluminium use while maintaining performance. By working closely with forward-thinking partners and integrating recycled content, we are delivering real, measurable progress on circularity. This honor reinforces our belief that technical excellence and environmental responsibility are intertwined, and that together, we can help shape a more sustainable future for the packaging industry.”

The EMBANEWS Awards annually celebrates excellence in packaging across design, sustainability and technological performance. Ball Corporation extends its sincere appreciation to the EMBANEWS panel of judges and remains committed to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in sustainable aluminium packaging.