Above: Anheuser-Busch representatives break ground on the Arnold, Mo., plant expansion.

Anheuser-Busch expands Missouri facility to boost aluminum can production

April 2015 - Anheuser-Busch announced plans to invest $150 million to expand its Metal Container Corp. facility in Arnold, Missouri. The expansion is part of Anheuser-Busch’s strategic plan to enhance aluminum can and bottle production in the U.S. 

Adding value

In 2013, Anheuser-Busch completed a $130 million project that added an aluminum bottle production line to its Arnold facility. To boost production further, Anheuser-Busch will install a second aluminum production line, adding 110,000 square feet of space and 70 jobs, to comply with the growing demand. Dave Taylor, president at Metal Container Corp., anticipates the bottle line will double the plant’s capabilities to produce aluminum bottles.

The Metal Container Corp. is one of Anheuser-Busch’s seven can facilities in the U.S, supplying 45 percent of Anheuser-Busch’s U.S. beer cans. The Arnold plant produces 58,000 tons of aluminum each year for cans and bottles, says Taylor. The plant also produces lids for U.S. soft drink companies PepsiCo. and Monster Beverage Corp.

Supporting economic growth

The investment is the second phase of Anheuser-Busch’s efforts to grow business and workforce in Arnold. The city of Arnold and Anheuser-Busch worked together to create an incentive program designed to promote business in the area. “Expanding our ability to make popular and innovative packaging options like the aluminum bottle increases the competitiveness of our facility and creates sustainable local jobs,” stated Cheryl Rogers, Arnold plant manager at Metal Container Corp., in a release. 

“The support and the incentives provided increase the attractiveness of large-scale investments like this expansion and keep our operations here competitive,” says Taylor. The facility is in close to Anheuser-Busch’s St. Louis facility, making it accessible to transportation.`

Popular demand

The production line was also built in response to the growing popularity of the aluminum bottle first introduced in 2014. Specifically, the Bud Light Cool Twist bottle increased distribution and earned 52 percent share of all aluminum bottle volume in the U.S. The aluminum bottle also bolster’s Anheuser-Busch’s environmental conservation efforts. The aluminum bottles are made with varying percentages of aluminum that are lighter and sustainable, says Taylor. 

Additional conservation efforts include a scrap system that bales scrap into briquettes to send back to suppliers for reuse. Taylor did not comment on Arnold’s aluminum supplier. 

Taylor anticipates the new aluminum bottle line will produce 1,200 bottles per minute. The expansion is still underway but is expected to be completed in 2016. “Our employees, local leaders and communities where we operate are a part of our success, and we are pleased to make business investments that are good for all of our stakeholders,” states Taylor. MM