Can Makers Brace for a Tight Summer

Beer and beverage can makers are heading into the summer with tight capacity, rising input costs and a wave of customer promotions that could strain supply just as demand appears to be improving across several drink categories.

Executives at Ball, Crown Holdings and Ardagh Metal Packaging said in recent earnings calls that they expect a busy season for aluminum cans, driven by beer, energy drinks, carbonated soft drinks and promotional packaging tied to major events including the World Cup and America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The companies said the combination of stronger orders and higher costs is leaving little room in the system, especially in North America, where can supply is expected to be particularly constrained.

For brewers, the timing matters. Anheuser-Busch, the world’s largest brewer, reported on Tuesday that its first-quarter beer volumes rose 1.2%, its first quarterly increase in three years. That follows signs of steadier demand in other beverage categories as well. Coca-Cola said last month that mini cans were gaining traction in convenience stores and that packaging mix remained important to sales.

Ball, which reported net sales of $3.6 billion for the quarter, up 16.3% from a year earlier, said it was seeing strong demand from beverage customers and was effectively sold out for this year. Chief executive Ron Lewis said the company was more than 90% sold for next year and more than 50% sold for the rest of the decade. He said many of Ball’s plants were already running labels tied to World Cup promotions and America250 marketing campaigns.

“We are sold out for this year,” Lewis said on the company’s May 5 earnings call.

Ball is preparing to open a new plant in Millersburg, Oregon, later this year, with startup costs expected to reach $35 million. Executives also said the company may eventually build another plant on the East Coast, likely in North Carolina. The company said it is passing through higher commodity costs to customers and does not have direct business in the Middle East.

Crown Holdings reported net sales of $3.26 billion, up 12.9% from a year earlier, and said global beverage shipments rose 5% in the quarter. Chief executive Tim Donahue said March was Crown’s highest shipment month ever and described North American demand as steady across multiple beverage categories.

“We expect strengthening demand into what should be a very tight can supply situation this summer,” Donahue said on an April 28 call.

He added that contract customers would be prioritized over spot buyers if supply gets tighter. Crown also said food can volumes rose 3%. While Donahue called tariffs “poor policy by any measure,” he said they were not having a near-term effect on demand.

Ardagh Metal Packaging reported revenue of $1.5 billion, up 18.6% from a year earlier, but still posted a $5 million loss. The company said beverage can sales fell 1% from a year earlier, which it described as expected, though it noted growth in carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks and specialty cans.

Chief executive Oliver Graham said Ardagh expects 2026 to be a transition year with a small volume decline before returning to growth in 2027. He also pointed to continued volatility in energy, freight and raw material costs tied in part to geopolitical tensions.

The broader picture suggests that can makers are entering the peak summer period with little slack in production lines just as beverage companies push more seasonal packaging and promotions. That could leave some customers competing for limited supply at a time when aluminum can demand is being lifted by both beer recovery and growth in nonalcoholic drinks.