Crown Holdings
A global manufacturer of rigid-metal packaging, including beverage cans, food cans, aerosol containers, specialty packaging, and metal closures.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
Crown Holdings, Inc. is a United States-based multinational packaging company whose principal business is the design and manufacture of rigid-metal packaging. Its products include aluminum beverage cans, steel and aluminum food cans, aerosol containers, specialty metal packaging, and metal closures. The company traces its origins to William Painter's invention of the disposable metal crown bottle cap and the formation of the Crown Cork and Seal Company in Baltimore in 1892. That invention established the company's original relationship with beverage bottlers and created a platform for later expansion into packaging machinery and metal containers. Crown developed internationally at an early stage, opening manufacturing operations in Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom by 1906. By the 1930s it was reported to supply approximately half of the world's bottle caps. The company entered the food and general tin-can business in 1936 through the acquisition of Philadelphia's Acme Can Company. This was followed by the Crowntainer, a funnel-shaped beer can introduced in 1937, helping Crown move beyond closures into a broader metal-packaging portfolio. The company's markets and products changed in response to social, regulatory, and industrial developments. After the First World War and during Prohibition, Crown placed greater emphasis on soft-drink packaging. During the Second World War it manufactured products such as Kork-N-Seal, Pour-N-Seal, and Merit Seal items, as well as gas-mask canisters. In 1957, John Connelly assumed the presidency while the business was facing severe financial difficulty. He moved the headquarters from Baltimore to Philadelphia and led a period of operational and strategic change. Crown later diversified into plastics and cosmetics packaging, but subsequently refocused on metal packaging. It sold its Global Plastic Closure business in 2005 and its cosmetics-packaging business in 2006. In 2003, the company reorganized as a public holding company, Crown Holdings, Inc., while retaining the Crown packaging identity. The business now serves beverage, food, household, personal-care, industrial, and other consumer-product markets through regional operations. Crown's geographic organization includes businesses serving the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. The reference material describes 46 plants and about 5,600 employees in the Americas division, 71 plants and about 11,200 employees in the European division, and 32 plants and about 4,300 employees in the Asia-Pacific division. A separate company description states that Crown employed more than 23,000 people at 189 plants in 39 countries as of 2024. Its packaging proposition is based on high-volume manufacturing, specialized forming and decorating capabilities, supply relationships with major consumer-goods companies, and the recyclability and material efficiency of metal packaging. Crown remains an active public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CCK.
History
Crown Holdings began with William Painter, a Maryland Quaker and inventor who developed a disposable metal bottle cap for carbonated-beverage bottles. Painter obtained patents for the crown cork on February 2, 1892, and founded the Crown Cork and Seal Company in Baltimore that year. The early business was not limited to selling caps: it also promoted equipment that allowed bottlers and retailers to apply the closures efficiently. By 1898, Painter had developed a foot-powered crowner, helping bottlers adopt the cap in a market crowded with competing closure devices. The company internationalized quickly. By 1906, Crown had established manufacturing plants in Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Its crown cork became a widely used beverage closure, and by the 1930s the company was reported to sell about half of the world's bottle-cap supply. This position gave Crown a substantial customer base among breweries, soft-drink producers, and other bottlers. Crown expanded from closures into metal containers in 1936, when it purchased the Acme Can Company of Philadelphia. The acquisition brought Crown into the tin-can business and led to the Crowntainer, a funnel-shaped beer can, in 1937. Market conditions also influenced the company's product strategy. After the First World War and during Prohibition, Crown placed greater emphasis on soft-drink packaging. During the Second World War, it produced military and industrial items, including Kork-N-Seal, Pour-N-Seal, and Merit Seal products and gas-mask canisters. A major leadership and location change occurred in 1957, when John Connelly became president while the company was facing insolvency. Connelly moved the headquarters from Baltimore to Philadelphia and oversaw a subsequent period of change. Over the following decades, Crown developed a wider packaging portfolio, including food cans, beverage cans, aerosol containers, specialty packaging, and closures. It also entered plastics and cosmetics packaging, although those activities were later reduced or sold. In 2003, Crown reorganized as a public holding company under the Crown Holdings name. The company then divested its Global Plastic Closure business in 2005 and its cosmetics-packaging business in 2006, reinforcing a strategic focus on metal packaging. Its regional operations developed across the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. Crown's current activities include the production of beverage, food, aerosol, specialty, and closure packaging for consumer and industrial customers. The company continued to expand its beverage-can footprint in Europe in the 2020s. In August 2023, Crown announced the acquisition of Helvetia Packaging, including a beverage-can manufacturing facility in Saarlouis, Germany. By 2024, company reference material described a global network of more than 23,000 employees and 189 plants in 39 countries. Crown's long-term development therefore reflects a progression from a patented bottle closure to a diversified international metal-packaging manufacturer, followed by a renewed concentration on its core materials and packaging capabilities.
- 2023
Helvetia Packaging acquisition announced
[1]Crown announced the acquisition of Helvetia Packaging and its beverage-can facility in Saarlouis, Germany.
- 2006
Cosmetics-packaging divestiture
[1]Crown sold its cosmetics-packaging business and continued concentrating on core packaging activities.
- 2005
Plastic-closure divestiture
[1]Crown sold its Global Plastic Closure business as part of a move toward a more focused metal-packaging portfolio.
- 2003
Public holding-company reorganization
[1]The company reorganized as Crown Holdings, Inc., a public holding company.
- 1957
John Connelly becomes president
[1]John Connelly took over as president during a period of severe financial difficulty and moved the headquarters to Philadelphia.
- 1937
Crowntainer beer can developed
[1]The company introduced the funnel-shaped Crowntainer beer can after entering the can business.
- 1936
Entry into the tin-can business
[1]Crown entered metal-container manufacturing by acquiring the Acme Can Company of Philadelphia.
- 1906
Early international manufacturing expansion
[1]Crown had opened plants in Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
- 1898
Foot-powered crowner introduced
[1]Crown developed a foot-powered device that enabled bottlers and retailers to apply its bottle caps more quickly.
- 1892
Crown Cork and Seal Company is founded
[1]Painter founded the Crown Cork and Seal Company in Baltimore after obtaining patents for the crown cork.
Products and positioning
A global, scale-oriented metal-packaging manufacturer focused on beverage, food, aerosol, specialty, and closure applications, with sustainability messaging centered on the durability and recyclability of metal packaging.
Rigid-metal packaging
Beverage cans
Crown manufactures aluminum beverage cans and related components for carbonated soft drinks, beer, energy drinks, and other packaged beverages. Beverage packaging is one of the company's principal global businesses and is produced through regional operations serving the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. The portfolio also reflects Crown's historical relationship with beverage bottlers, which began with its crown cork closure.
Rigid-metal packaging · 1936
Food cans
Crown produces metal food cans, including steel and aluminum containers used for preserved and processed foods. The company's food-can activities date from its 1936 acquisition of Acme Can Company, which expanded Crown from bottle closures into broader metal-container manufacturing. Food cans remain part of the company's international packaging offering.
Rigid-metal packaging
Aerosol cans
Crown manufactures metal aerosol containers for personal-care, household, industrial, and other pressurized products. These containers form part of the company's specialty and consumer-packaging portfolio and are produced in several regional markets.
Closures · 1892
Metal closures and crown corks
Metal closures are the product category from which Crown originated. The crown cork was designed as a disposable bottle closure for carbonated beverages, while later closure products served beverage, food, and other packaged-goods applications. Crown continues to list metal closures among its principal packaging offerings.
Rigid-metal packaging
Specialty metal packaging
Crown's specialty packaging activities cover metal containers and components designed for applications outside standard beverage and food cans. The category includes packaging for consumer, household, personal-care, industrial, and other product markets, using the company's metal forming, printing, and manufacturing capabilities.
Brand decisions
2023
Acquisition of Helvetia PackagingM&ABackground
Crown sought to expand its European beverage-can manufacturing presence.
Action taken
Crown announced the acquisition of Helvetia Packaging, including a beverage-can manufacturing facility in Saarlouis, Germany.
Aftermath
The acquisition added European beverage-can capacity to Crown's existing regional network.
2006
Sale of cosmetics-packaging businessM&ABackground
Crown continued narrowing its portfolio after its earlier expansion into plastics and cosmetics packaging.
Action taken
It sold its cosmetics-packaging business.
Aftermath
The transaction reinforced the company's strategic concentration on metal packaging.
2005
Sale of Global Plastic Closure businessM&ABackground
Crown reassessed its diversification into plastics and sought to focus on core packaging capabilities.
Action taken
The company sold its Global Plastic Closure business.
Aftermath
The divestiture reduced Crown's plastics exposure and supported a stronger emphasis on metal packaging.
2003
Reorganization as Crown HoldingsStrategyBackground
The company had developed into a multinational packaging group with multiple operating businesses.
Action taken
Crown reorganized as a public holding company under the Crown Holdings name.
Aftermath
The reorganization provided the corporate structure under which the company's continuing packaging operations are identified today.
1936
Acquisition of Acme Can CompanyM&ABackground
Crown sought to extend its historic closure business into metal-container manufacturing.
Action taken
It acquired the Acme Can Company of Philadelphia and entered the tin-can business.
Aftermath
The acquisition was followed by development of the Crowntainer beer can and helped establish Crown as a broader metal-packaging company.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Ball Corporation and Crown Holdings plan aluminium can plants in India[3]
Reported:
Ball Corporation and Crown Holdings plan to build aluminium can plants in India.
- Unconfirmed
Crown Holdings breaks ground on its first beverage can manufacturing facility in India[4]
Reported:
Crown Holdings has broken ground on the company's first beverage can manufacturing facility in India.
Crown named to IBD Best ESG Companies of 2021 list[5]
Reported:
Crown Holdings was named to Investor’s Business Daily’s Best ESG Companies of 2021 list, ranking among the top five in the Industrials category and 24th overall.
Crown Holdings withdraws 2020 guidance[6]
Reported:
Crown Holdings said it withdrew its 2020 guidance because of uncertainty about the impact and duration of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sources6 sources
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