Manufacturing Today Issue - 252 September 2026 | Page 44

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from changing consumer preferences, growth in emerging beverage categories, and a bigger focus on sustainability. Oliver points to the surge of new beverage launches and evolving tastes.“ The beverage can sector is very attractive right now. Some beverage categories are growing strongly, especially energy drinks, certain soft drink categories, and flavored alcoholic beverages.”
Just as important is the appeal of aluminum itself. This shift became especially clear during the pandemic, when more consumption moved into retail channels and household purchasing patterns changed.“ The can is taking share from plastic and glass because of its sustainability credentials and the cost effectiveness of packaging beverages in aluminum.” High demand across the industry led manufacturers to rethink both capacity and flexibility.“ The industry was experiencing significant growth, so we invested heavily in new facilities and upgrades to existing sites to capture that demand and support our customers.”
AMP responded with a sustained investment program, expanding capacity and upgrading facilities across its global network. Between 2017 and 2024, AMP invested over $ 2 billion in these efforts. The next stage of investment will fund additional projects in Spain and the UK to increase production capacity, while investments in North America have also delivered manufacturing flexibility and the ability to serve a wider mix of can formats.
Adding capacity was only part of the challenge. As AMP’ s footprint expanded, the company focused more on the systems, processes, and data needed to run a more connected operation. Data, planning, and process improvement now influence
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