PODCAST: Inside the World’s Largest Aluminum Packaging Manufacturer with Predrag Ozmo of Ball Corporation

Episode Title: Inside the World’s Largest Aluminum Packaging Manufacturer with Predrag Ozmo of Ball Corporation

Guest: Predrag Ozmo, Sustainability Director at Ball Corporation

Summary:

In this episode, Cory Connors welcomes Predrag Ozmo to discuss the sustainability story behind Ball Corporation — the world’s largest aluminum packaging manufacturer, producing more than 100 billion cans per year. Predrag shares his background growing up in Serbia and his early career at MiTeCo, a metal recycling company, before joining Ball in 2019. He explains why aluminum is often called an “energy bank” — a truly circular material that can be recycled endlessly, with up to 95% energy savings versus primary production. Predrag walks through Ball’s climate transition plan and its 2030 and 2050 goals, the decarbonization pathways for primary aluminum (hydropower, inert anodes, and the ELYSIS breakthrough), the growing importance of recycled content, and the innovative partnerships that are bringing refillable and first-of-their-kind aluminum packaging to market.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Predrag’s journey from metal recycling at MiTeCo in Serbia to sustainability leadership at Ball Corporation
• Ball Corporation’s scale as the world’s largest aluminum packaging manufacturer (100+ billion cans per year)
• Aluminum as a circular, infinitely recyclable “energy bank” material
• The 95% energy savings achieved when aluminum is recycled versus primary production
• Ball’s climate transition plan and 2030 / 2050 sustainability goals
• Decarbonization of primary aluminum through hydropower, inert anodes, and the ELYSIS technology
• The role of recycled content in reducing packaging’s carbon footprint
• Ball’s partnership with Meadow for refillable soap and shampoo in aluminum bottles
• Brazil partnership with Sofie and Aeroflaks on the first ASI-certified aluminum aerosol can
• Unilever and Alcoa’s ELYSIS pilot as a model for low-carbon primary metal
• The 10–15 year vision for aluminum packaging and the circular economy
• Why aluminum’s infinite recyclability makes it a long-term sustainability winner

Resources Mentioned:

• Ball Corporation
• ELYSIS
• Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI)
• Meadow (refillable aluminum personal care packaging)

Contact:

Listeners can learn more or reach out to Predrag directly:

• LinkedIn
• Ball Corporation

Closing Thoughts:

Cory and Predrag emphasize that aluminum’s true power lies in its circularity — every can produced today can be recycled and back on a shelf in as little as 60 days, carrying with it nearly all of the energy it was originally made with. They encourage brands, consumers, and the packaging industry to invest in infinitely recyclable materials, support partnerships like ELYSIS that decarbonize primary metal, and embrace refillable and reusable formats as the next chapter of sustainable packaging.

Thank you for tuning in to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors!

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