Ball Corporation has recognized its five most sustainable manufacturing plants of 2018, identifying those that demonstrated leadership through significant efficiency improvements, team safety and wellness enhancements, promotion of metal packaging's sustainability credentials, and engagement in their local communities.

Each plant will receive the 2018 R. David Hoover Sustainability Award, with which Ball honors the plant in each region of its Global Beverage Packaging and Aerosol Packaging businesses.

The winners of the 2018 R. David Hoover Sustainability Award are:

Global Beverage Packaging

• Tampa, Florida (Beverage Packaging North & Central America): The Tampa plant achieved zero total recordable incidents, decreased its normalized gas usage by 1 percent year-over-year, decreased waste generation by 16 percent, improved its year-over-year electricity efficiency, and demonstrated strong engagement in their local community through school outreach about the importance of recycling and the infinite recyclability of the aluminum can, as well as volunteering and contributing funds for various donation drives including school supplies, blood, canned food and to support families in need.
  
  
• Aguas Claras, Brazil (Beverage Packaging South America): The Aguas Claras plant achieved zero total recordable incidents, reduced its normalized thermal energy use by 3 percent and its normalized water use by 5 percent, and achieved a 4 percent reduction in its normalized electricity use. The plant also participated in Ball's annual recycling challenge, conducted environmental education for local schools and engaged in multiple campaigns to collect cans for the waste pickers cooperatives, as well as donation drives for food, milk, school supplies, clothing and shoes.
  
  
• Ludesch, Austria (Beverage Packaging Europe): The Ludesch plant attained zero total recordable incidents, achieved an 8 percent in reduction in its normalized water, decreased its normalized energy use by 1 percent and sent zero waste to landfill. The plant also raised awareness about the can's sustainability profile and promoted recycling efforts in the local community, and participated in local landscape cleanup and can recycling events.
  
  
• Taloja, India (Beverage Packaging Asia Pacific & AMEA): The Taloja plant also attained zero total recordable incidents, achieved a 3 percent reduction in its normalized water use and improved its water efficiency year-over-year, achieved a 12 percent year-over-year reduction in its normalized stationary combustion and reduced its normalized waste generation by 69 percent. The plant also participated in a number of sustainability-related initiatives, including school outreach, environmental cleanups and community partnerships with the Recycling Association.

Aerosol Packaging

• Devizes, England (All Regions): The Devizes plant reduced its total recordable incidents by 15 percent year-over-year, achieved a 5 percent reduction in its normalized gas use, reduced its use of normalized water by 5 percent and attained an 11 percent reduction in normalized waste generation. The plant also supported efforts to promote the can as the most sustainable package internally and externally, and participated in STEM outreach activities at local schools to support at-risk youth.

"We are honored to announce the recipients of the 2018 Hoover Sustainability Award, and we applaud their success in making Ball's products and operations more sustainable," said John A. Hayes, chairman, president and chief executive officer. "At Ball, sustainability and delivering long-term value for stakeholders go hand in hand, and these five plants have demonstrated leadership in achieving both. We're proud to offer the most sustainable packaging choice, and we look forward to continued collaboration with our plants around the world to drive operational excellence."

Ball established the annual R. David Hoover Sustainability Award in 2011 in honor of the company's former chairman, president and chief executive officer, who was a key driver in the development of the company's formal sustainability program.