UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, DC 20549 FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 March 6, 2000 ------------- (Date of earliest event reported) Commission file number 1-7349 BALL CORPORATION ---------------- (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) Indiana 1-7349 35-0160610 ------- ------ ---------- (State of Commission IRS Employer Incorporation) File No.) Identification No.) 10 Longs Peak Drive, P.O. Box 5000, Broomfield, CO 80021-2510 ------------------------------------------------------------- (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code) (303) 469-5511 -------------- (Registrant's telephone number, including area code) Not Applicable -------------- (Former name or former address, if changed since last report) Ball Corporation Current Report on Form 8-K Dated March 6, 2000 Item 2. Disposition of Assets Ball Corporation and ConAgra Grocery Products Company, a unit of ConAgra, Inc., announced on February 24, 2000, that they have signed a definitive agreement to form a strategic alliance for the manufacture and supply of metal food containers for ConAgra Grocery Products. The two companies agreed to form a joint venture company called Ball Western Can Company to acquire and operate certain ConAgra Grocery Products can manufacturing assets in California. Additionally, Ball will purchase certain can manufacturing assets now owned and used by the ConAgra Grocery Products plant in Newport, Tennessee. The new joint venture company and Ball will then supply metal food cans and ends under long-term agreements to ConAgra Grocery Products, whose requirements are currently about one billion cans and ends per year. Ball and ConAgra Grocery Products believe that the transaction will be finalized by the end of March 2000. The text of the press release disseminated by the Company on February 24, 2000, is filed with this report as Exhibit 99.1. Ball Corporation Current Report on Form 8-K Dated March 6, 2000 EXHIBIT INDEX Description Exhibit Text of Press Release Disseminated by the Registrant on February 24, 2000 (Filed herewith) EX-99.1 SIGNATURE Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. Ball Corporation (Registrant) By: /s/ R. David Hoover --------------------------------------- Name: R. David Hoover Title: Vice Chairman, President and Chief Financial Officer Date: March 6, 2000