COMPANYHISTORIES
NAIC 332431

Metal Can Manufacturing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

10companies1902–1983founding years8still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedAlcan Aluminium Limited
1902
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedCLARCOR Inc.
1904
FoundedVitro Corporativo S.A. de C.V.
1909
FoundedRexam PLC
1910
FoundedAdolph Coors CompanyFoundedSan Miguel Corporation
1913
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedGrupo Modelo, S.A. de C.V.
1925
FoundedCrown Cork & Seal Company, Inc.
1927
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedAnheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
1979
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedU.S. Can Corporation
1983
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Alcan Aluminium Limited →
Active · founded 1902 · Canada
Alcan Aluminium Limited (Alcan) is the second-largest aluminum company in the world.
CLARCOR Inc. →
Defunct · founded 1904
CLARCOR Inc.
Vitro Corporativo S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1909 · Mexico
Vitro Corporativo S.A.
Rexam PLC →
Defunct · founded 1910 · United Kingdom
Rexam PLC is one of the world's ten largest consumer packaging companies.
Adolph Coors Company →
Active · founded 1913
Adolph Coors Company is the only family-owned brewery in the United States that was able to survive the late…
San Miguel Corporation →
Active · founded 1913 · Philippines
Best known for its internationally distributed beer, San Miguel Corporation can only be described in superlatives.
Grupo Modelo, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1925 · Mexico
Grupo Modelo, S.A.
Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1927
Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc.
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1979
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
U.S. Can Corporation →
Active · founded 1983
U.S.
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