EXHIBIT 99.1
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Ball Corporation and Group Saint-Gobain to Form
Strategic Alliance in Glass Container Manufacturing

     Muncie, Ind., June 26, 1995--Ball  Corporation  (NYSE:BLL) and Compagnie de
Saint-Gobain  announced today that they have agreed to form a strategic alliance
creating a glass container manufacturing company in the U.S. with more than $1.5
billion in sales.
     Ball and Saint-Gobain will establish a new jointly-owned company which will
acquire  the  glass  manufacturing  operations  of  both  Ball  Glass  Container
Corporation and the  Foster-Forbes  glass operations of American National Can, a
unit of Pechiney,  S.A.  Ball will receive cash in excess of $125 million in the
transaction and hold a 42 percent interest in the combined entity.  Saint-Gobain
will hold the other 58 percent  and will  provide a  guaranty  in support of the
acquisition  financing and an operating  line of credit.  The  transactions  are
subject to certain regulatory and other approvals.
     Upon closing of the  transaction,  which is expected  prior to December 31,
Ball  estimates that a charge will be required of up to $75 million after tax or
$2.50 per share.  The amount of the charge is dependent upon several  unresolved
matters.  The  closing is subject to  certain  regulatory  and other  approvals.
George A. Sissel,  Ball president and CEO, said that the strategic alliance with
Saint-Gobain and the combination of the Ball and Foster-Forbes  glass businesses
should enhance significantly the value of Ball's retained interest.
     We expect the new company  will benefit  greatly by combining  the assets,
talents and  resources of three of the world's most  respected  names in glass,
Sissel said.
     Ball and Foster-Forbes  employ approximately 8,500 people in the production
of containers at 22 glass plants in 15 states.
     The Ball Glass and Foster-Forbes  businesses  strategically  complement one
another,  Sissel said. Ball is particularly  strong in the food and wine markets
and  Foster-Forbes in the beer, juice and other beverages.  The new company will
have an attractive customer and product mix.
     American  National Can is a subsidiary of Pechiney,  S.A., an international
company with 1994 sales of $12.8 billion. Pechiney is the third largest producer
of aluminum and a leading packaging manufacturer.  It operates 350 facilities in
60 countries.
     Saint-Gobain,  headquartered  near  Paris,  is a world  leader  in  several
industrial activities. In addition to glass containers, those activities include
flat glass, insulation and reinforcements,  building materials, pipe, industrial
ceramics and abrasives. With interests in 37 countries,  including the U.S., the
company reported 1994 sales of $13.6 billion.
     Ball is a manufacturer of rigid packaging products, primarily for foods and
beverages,  and supplies aerospace and  communications  products and services to
government and commercial  customers.  The company reported 1994 sales of nearly
$2.6 billion.

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