The demand for customized aluminum cans has grown in various industries due to their strength, lightness, recyclability, and marketing appeal. The global market for aluminum cans was $45.5 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% due to environmental efforts and the expanding need for custom packaging solutions. The sectors benefiting from custom aluminum cans include beverage production, food packaging, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and promotional marketing.
The beverage industry is the largest user of specialty aluminum cans and consumes over 75% of all aluminum cans worldwide. The beverage industry, including companies like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Red Bull, uses custom designs to enhance brand recognition, increase consumer engagement, and create product differentiation in the store shelf. The light weight of aluminum reduces shipping costs by up to 30% compared to glass, a significant benefit for soft drinks, energy drinks, beer, and specialty beverages. With the ability to print intricate graphics, unique textures, and interactive features such as thermochromic ink, beverage companies can create limited runs and seasonal offerings that are interactive.
Aluminum cans have an advantage when packaging food because they can keep the food fresh, prevent contamination, and extend shelf life. Canned foods sales were $102 billion in 2023, where custom aluminum cans were used for soups, vegetables, pet food, and ready meals. Unlike plastic packaging, aluminum is 100% recyclable and retains its quality forever, hence an environmentally friendly choice for manufacturers that need to reduce their carbon footprint and meet environmental regulations.
Pharmaceutical industry utilizes specialty aluminum cans for aerosol medications, medicinal sprays, and aseptic packaging. Non-reactive character of aluminum maintains product quality, and light-blocking capability shields drugs from ultraviolet rays. In 2022, the pharmaceutical packaging industry worldwide was worth $99 billion, with increasingly more share moving towards specialty aluminum solutions due to their efficiency and safety.
The cosmetics and personal care industry uses aluminum cans for deodorants, hairsprays, and skincare. The demand for eco-friendly and refillable packaging has led businesses like Unilever and L’Oréal to use custom aluminum designs. In 2023, over 60% of beauty shoppers preferred eco-friendly packaging, and brands responded by replacing plastic containers with custom aluminum solutions to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers.
The promotional marketing industry has seen widespread application of specialty aluminum cans in corporate branding, promotional activities for events, and special product debuts. Specialty packaging allows business companies to produce specialty, collector cans that also make good ad mediums. High-profile music events and sports tournaments have partnered with beverage firms to design one-off aluminum cans that come with personalized branding, encouraging higher levels of customer engagement and loyalty to brand names.
Entrepreneur Richard Branson once said, “Branding requires dedication to constantly reinvent, stretch, and refine the face of the brand in order to stand out.” Custom aluminum cans design for businesses a green, cheap, and stunning package solution. With the economy moving towards environmentally friendlier and personalized products, aluminum cans are part of any business’s modern package strategies in various industries.