Rexam, the global consumer packaging company, and Hindustan Tin Works Ltd, a leading Indian can maker have announced the building a new high speed beverage can manufacturing line at its current site in Taloja close to Mumbai. The new line represents a capital investment of c £30m over two years. It will initially produce 33cl and 50cl cans and then slim cans, increasing total capacity from under 400m cans to c 950m per year. Production startup is planned for the final quarter of 2012.

Sanjay Bhatia, Managing Director of Rexam’s joint venture partner, Hindustan Tin Works Ltd, said: "We are pleased to work further with Rexam as a partner and this investment reinforces our commitment for the Indian beverage can market. We share an excellent relationship with all the leading customers in India and this capacity will help further to grow the beverage can market and to satisfy our customers growing demands."

Graham Chipchase, Rexam’s Chief Executive added: "We were first in India when we set up our joint venture with Hindustan Tin Works in 2006 and have good knowledge of this exciting market. The investment is consistent with our emerging market strategy. The country has enjoyed considerable growth over the last decade, with rising incomes and a young middle class, and this trend is expected to continue. Per capita consumption of beverages lags substantially behind the rest of the world but the beverage packaging market is growing fast and one of the fastest growing packages is the beverage can."