Crown Cork & Seal to Install New Beverage Can Line in Spain

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc. (NYSE: CCK; Paris Bourse) In response to increasing market demand in Spain and Portugal, Crown Cork & Seal today announced it will install a two piece beverage can line in Seville, Spain.

The beverage can market in the Iberian Peninsula has been one of the fastest growing regions in Europe, enjoying double digit volume growth for many years. Unit sales reached 5.2 billion last year, making it the third largest market in Europe, after the UK and Germany. This rate of growth is expected to continue both in soft drinks and beer.

The new plant will initially operate with one line and will be sized for future expansion. This state-of-the-art line will produce 33cl steel beverage cans, and will have an annual capacity of 750 million cans. Construction at the 36,000 square meter leased facility has begun and Crown expects to be operational by mid 2002. This investment is consistent with the Company's previously stated capital expenditure target.

George Nicol, Senior Vice President of Crown Bevcan Europe commented, "The new plant in Spain will allow us to effectively meet our customers' needs. Steel beverage cans have continued to grow successfully in Spain and Portugal and this investment will enable us to develop in line with the market, and to prepare for further capacity expansion in the future."

Crown Cork & Seal is the leading supplier of packaging products to consumer marketing companies around the world. World headquarters are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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SOURCE Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc.
Web site: http: //www.crowncork.com
CONTACT: Timothy J. Donahue, Senior Vice President of Finance, of Crown Cork & Seal, +1-215-698-5088