Ball chief operating officer Raymond Seabrook said: "This strategic acquisition is an investment by Ball in a business that has technology to access new markets and opportunities to growth the company's packaging platform."

Neuman has two plants in the US and Canada that employ around 180 staff and generated sales of around $128m last year. It will become part of Ball's metal food and household products business segment.

The slugs are used to make extruded aerosols, drinks bottles, aluminium collapsible tubes and technical impact extrusions.