Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) today completed its acquisition of Sonoco's metal end and closure facilities in Canton, Ohio. The Canton plants, which employ approximately 100 people and produce multiple-sized closures for the food can market, will become part of Ball's global metal food and household products packaging division.

Highlights

-- Cash and stock transaction valued at £5.4 billion ($8.4 billion), including the assumption of net debt

-- Aligns with Drive for 10 vision and long-standing capital allocation strategy

-- Leverages complementary product lines and company cultures

-- $300 million of achievable synergies by 2018

-- Highly accretive to earnings per share, generates significant free cash flow and increases EVA®

- Asset sale agreement reflects $3.42 billion enterprise value
- Addresses certain regulatory requirements for the company's acquisition of Rexam
- Ball reaffirms annual net synergies in excess of $300 million
- Proposed offer for Rexam expected to close by end of June 2016

Highlights

- Full-year 2014 comparable earnings per diluted share were $3.88 vs. $3.28 in 2013; an increase of 18 percent

- Fourth quarter comparable earnings per diluted share were 84 cents vs. 86 cents in 2013

- Solid manufacturing performance and a lower tax rate nearly offset flat demand for global metal packaging and unfavorable earnings translation in the fourth quarter

- Strong free cash flow exceeded $620 million in 2014

Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) today announced that its board of directors is in discussions concerning a possible acquisition of Rexam PLC.

Barry-Wehmiller Cos., Inc., capital equipment and engineering solutions leader, acquired the Bielomatik paper processing product line from Bielomatik Leuze GmbH + Co. KG. Bielomatik operations will be integrated within BW Papersystems, a global supplier to the paper and board sheeting, paper converting, and corrugating industries. The sale became final Oct. 1.
Bielomatik's paper processing line business is Barry-Wehmiller's 78th acquisition. Its integration within BW Papersystems' German operations will create a $430 million global group serving the paper and corrugating industry. With this newest addition, Barry-Wehmiller's revenues will approach $2.4 billion as it expands worldwide.

4th quarter 2014:

• Sales €18.0 billion (minus 0.6%)
• EBIT before special items €1.5 billion (plus 2.8%)
• Considerable earnings increase in Chemicals and Agricultural Solutions; significant earnings decrease in the Oil & Gas segment due to lower oil price

Full year 2014:

• Sales €74.3 billion (plus 0.5%)
• EBIT before special items €7.4 billion (plus 4.0%)
• Earnings per share €5.61 (plus 7.5%)
• Dividend proposal €2.80 (2013: €2.70)
• Outlook 2015: Slight increase in sales expected, EBIT before special items likely to match level of 2014

2nd quarter 2015:

• Sales €19.1 billion (plus 3%)
• EBIT before special items €2.0 billion (plus 2%)
• Significant earnings increase in Functional Materials & Solutions; earnings in other segments below prior-year quarter
• 1st half 2015:
• Sales €39.1 billion (plus 3%)
• EBIT before special items of €4.1 billion at previous year's level
• Outlook for 2015 confirmed: Slight sales increase expected, EBIT before special items likely to match level of 2014

• Agreement has been reached and signed
• Target transaction comprises production plants in Pasadena, Texas, and Tarragona, Spain

AROUND THE WORLD, BRANDS OF BAUER XCEL MEDIA REACH 130 MILLION MONTHLY UNIQUE USERS ALREADY

Baumer hhs’s 25 employees in Berlin relocated in early January 2019 to a new facility that is contemporary, impressive and designed for optimum functionality. Conveniently located on Max-Dohrn-Strasse in the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf section of Berlin and easily accessible by all modes of transportation, the new complex doubles the presence of the Krefeld-based manufacturer of glue application and quality assurance systems in the capital city. The new building has also become an attractive meeting place for visitors from all over the world.

Bayer has announced that the new name of its MaterialScience business will be Covestro. It will be effective on September 1, 2015. Bayer intends to float Covestro on the stock market by mid-2016 at the latest. The plan for Bayer MaterialScience to become a separate company was announced in September 2014.