The Metal Pack Pod

In this episode of The Metal Pack Pod, host Alex Fordham sits down with Alex Castrounis, Founder & CEO of Why of AI, to explore how the metal packaging industry can navigate the fast-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. They cover practical adoption frameworks, cutting through AI hype, and the growing critical need for AI governance, security, and workforce training in manufacturing.

In this episode, we sit down with Saket Bhatia, Director at Hindustan Tin Works, to unpack the evolving landscape of the Indian metal packaging market.From the rise of India's 500-million-strong middle class to shifts in processed foods, aerosols, and aluminium beverage cans, Saket shares deep industry insights on what is driving growth, how manufacturers are navigating international supply chain disruptions, and the impact of domestic regulations like BIS quality controls.Key Topics Covered in This Episode:Market Growth Overview: How India's metal packaging sector is expanding beyond its traditional 5% market share toward a 7%+ annual growth trajectory.Key Growth Segments: The rapid rise of metal packaging in Indian sweets, paint, lifestyle aerosols, and industrial sprays.Economic & Demographic Drivers: How rising disposable incomes, infrastructure spending, and a young workforce are boosting demand for premium packaging.Supply Chain & Trade Realities: Impact of international tariffs, regional conflicts, and India’s Quality Control Orders (BIS regulations) on raw material availability and pricing.The Sustainability Advantage & Industry Challenges: How brand owners view recyclability vs. cost, and why consumer awareness needs an industry-wide push.Hindustan’s Journey: From a small-scale trading firm to an international supplier exporting components to 20+ countries, plus their focus on automation and capacity expansion.The Aluminum Can Boom: Why major global players (Ball, Canpack, Crown) are building greenfield plants in India to meet the massive demand gap.

Recorded live from Metpack, this episode brings together Brian Talley of Steelforce America and Angelica Papageorgiou, global director of the group's aluminium division, for a candid look at where the steel and aluminium supply chains stand in 2026.Talley sets out the North American picture: a stable but uncertain market, the legacy of Section 232, an inventory overhang in tinplate and cans, and a fresh US trade case on tin mill products from China, Taiwan and Turkey. He also explains the reasoning behind the company's expansion in Los Angeles and four new sales hires, and why he still believes buyers want choice rather than the lowest number.Papageorgiou gives a blunt assessment of the aluminium market. Force majeure at a major Gulf producer has taken more than three million tonnes of primary metal out of circulation, the LME has climbed past $3,600, the Japanese premium has jumped from $190 to $351, and transit times from the UAE to Latin America have stretched to around 90 days. She argues buyers need to stop shopping on price alone and start planning for continuity.The conversation closes on CBAM, recycled content, AI in scrap sorting, and whether the industry tells its own story well enough.

Nick Paget from Meadow is back on the podcast to talk through its SleeveLock Dispenser System, a wall-mounted version of the company's beverage can refill system aimed at hotels.He explains why it locks to the wall, why Meadow tested it with housekeepers and hotel managers rather than guests, and how that produced a changeover time of around 20 seconds with no spillage or contamination. We also discuss recycling. Nick argues waste is a design problem for brands and retailers rather than something consumers should be asked to solve at extra cost or inconvenience. He also covers working with Ball, Novelis and DRT, why Meadow never leads on sustainability, and what comes next for the company that is passionate about invention.

In the latest episode of the The Metal Pack Pod, we sit down with Meghan Barrera (Leader of the Global Strategic Marketing Group for PPG Packaging Coatings) in a live episode at the recent Metpack 2026 trade show.The metal packaging industry is currently navigating significant market shifts and macroeconomic challenges. On the consumer front, there is notable global growth in the traditionally flat pet food packaging sector, alongside a rising demand for "harder-to-hold" beverages—such as functional drinks, ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails, and mixed alcoholic beverages. At the same time, brand owners and can makers are facing a complex regulatory "tsunami" of rapidly changing global and state-level legislations.This episode explores these shifting dynamics and highlights how PPG’s latest coating innovations are engineered to drive operational efficiency and sustainability in response to these market conditions.

Ball Foundation’s Global Impact and the $2M Boys & Girls Club Partnership   Alex Fordham interviews Jessica Leary, Executive Director of the Ball Foundation –  Ball Corporation’s philanthropic arm ­– about its mission and recent work.  Leary, a 15-year Ball veteran who moved from environmental health and safety into social impact, says the foundation focuses on recycling, manufacturing education, and disaster response, supporting more than 15 partners globally and responding to disasters within 50 miles of Ball facilities (including U.S. hurricanes and South American mudslides).  She highlights nearly $2 million invested over five years in Boys & Girls Clubs of America, including the Ultimate Journeys program, to spark hands-on STEM and skilled-trades interest—ideally by middle school (around age 13)—through employee engagement and facility exposure.  She notes partners still want both manufacturing and recycling education when infrastructure exists, and the foundation is planning strategy through 2030, while expanding collaborative partnerships to address workforce gaps as industry evolves.    Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and Introductions00:21 Meet Jessica Leary00:28 Ball Foundation Mission00:58 Jessica Career Journey01:29 Recent Projects Overview02:36 Boys and Girls Club Partnership03:13 Building the STEM Pipeline04:30 Reaching Kids Early06:32 Future of the Partnership08:38 Disaster Relief and Recycling Work10:51 Impact Stories and Motivation11:46 Strategy to 203013:03 How Anyone Can Help14:49 Power of Collaboration15:32 Sustainability Education for Youth17:39 Closing Thoughts on Workforce Needs19:15 Final Thanks and Wrap Up  

The Metal Packager interviews Jasper Joosten about Intralox’s plans for Metpack 2026, described as the leading event for the metal packaging industry and a chance to reconnect with can makers and OEMs after three years.  

Koenig & Bauer Previes: MetalCoat 484 Premiere and Digital Printing Updates for Metpack 2026  Damien and Alex discuss Koenig & Bauer’s plans for Metpack 2026, highlighting the world premiere of the MetalCoat 484 coating machine aimed at high automation in metal sheet coating. Key features include a closed-loop system and, for the first time, automatic wash-up. They will also display their digital printing portfolio with samples from the MetJET ONE and MetJET PROB, including improvements and new features.The company notes its sales team is trained to address emission regulation and EU Cyber Resilience Act topics, with machines prepared to meet emissions regulations 2027 and the Cyber Resilience Act starting this year, and fulfilling these regulations starting 2026.  

In today’s episode we interview, Sean Bannon Ska Fabricating’s New CEO on Packaging Automation, Talent Development and Market Trends  Alex Fordham interviews Sean, discussing his decade-long progression from engineer to CEO, and his support for a customer-close organization.  Sean describes how an engineering mindset shapes his problem-solving approach and Ska’s culture of creativity across teams and explains efforts to address the labour gap through challenging work, engagement, and intentional knowledge transfer.  He explains how customer demand is centred on flexibility and future-proofing capital equipment, including handling varied containers and pallet specifications. Ska is seeing strong activity in retrofits and line optimizations to reduce labour, although there is still market hesitancy around new capacity expansion.  Sean highlights new Ska innovation and market commentary on the evolving craft beer market into broader craft beverage trends.    As always, please like and share our podcast! Enjoy the show!  Time Stamps00:00 Welcome and Introductions00:20 Sean’s Journey to CEO01:35 Leadership Style and Structure02:33 Engineering Mindset at Work04:59 Labour Gap and Talent Pipeline08:56 Knowledge Transfer and Culture10:34 Customer Demands and Market Mood13:29 New Product Innovations16:23 Growth Beyond Palletizers19:22 Craft Beverage Market Shifts21:07 Automation Mistakes and Future Vision23:37 Closing Thanks and Wrap Up

Welcome to our latest podcast on Young Packaging for Future Generations: Building Can-Making Skills at Ohio State  We interview Domingo Gonzalez from Better Cans LLC, about the “Young Packaging for Future Generations” seminar, created to build foundational knowledge in two-piece aluminium beverage can making amid retirements and potential knowledge loss in the industry.  Run with Ohio State University and major industry suppliers and OEMs, the pilot seminar took place last August in Columbus, Ohio at the Food Science and Technology Department, delivering 14 lectures over two days to about 60 attendees including can makers, users, co-packers, distributors, and OSU PhD students.  This year’s edition taking place on April 14–15 spring session repeats the 14 lectures with improvements and adds sessions on packaging safety and FDA compliance, flanging and inside reforming, and a general overview of the canmaking and beverage industry.  Domingo emphasizes the venue as a neutral ground open to competitors and explains his 27+ years’ experience across the supply chain as motivation to leave a legacy.   The Metal Pack Pod is brought to you by The Metal Packager, the #1 digital resource for the global metal packaging market, and PPG Packaging Coatings, a global leader in innovative, safe and reliable coatings. Their range of innovative an sustainable solutions help protect and beautify the world.Enjoy!      00:00 Welcome and Context00:37 Seminar Overview and Partners01:42 Who Attends and Why02:52 2026 Agenda and New Lectures04:46 Solving the Skills Gap07:45 Why Ohio State as Neutral Ground9:35 Domingo’s Background and Mission13:17 2026 Spring Session Details16:35 Wrap Up