Crown Announces Further Investment in Dubai

Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Investors

PHILADELPHIA, July 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK) (Crown), a leading supplier of packaging products to consumer marketing companies around the world, announced today that its affiliate, CROWN Bevcan Europe & Middle East, in conjunction with its long-standing regional partner, Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi & Bros., is installing a dedicated beverage end-making facility at its plant in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This follows a recent investment in two beverage can lines; one in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and one in Dubai to increase beverage can capacity by 1.5 billion cans in the Middle East.

The new end facility, which will be operational in the second quarter of 2006, will have production capacity of 1.5 billion 206 diameter beverage can ends per year and will include end printing capability.

The Company also confirmed the appointment of project engineering consultants, Roeslein, to manage the installation of the two new can lines in Dubai and in Jeddah.

Commenting on the news, Ralph Lambert, Vice President CROWN Middle East stated: "Our recent capacity enhancements together with our new can and end lines will ensure we can continue to meet the growing needs of our customers across the Middle East for world-class cans, ends and technical support, and marks our dedication to serving a region in which we have had a major presence for over 25 years."

Rudy Roeslein, president of Roeslein, stated: "Our team recently visited both locations as part of our Phase One due diligence process. We have dedicated an experienced team to these two projects that are veterans of over 30 new can line projects around the world. We are planning to utilize our Unitizing and Preassembly concepts to ensure that Crown's expectations for Quality, Efficiency, Cost, and Schedule are met or exceeded. We are extremely excited about these opportunities."

Crown operates five can plants in the Middle East and North Africa: CROWN Arabia Can in Saudi Arabia (Dammam, Jeddah, formerly CCSA and JBCMC), CROWN Middle East Can in Jordan (Amman), CROWN Emirates Company in the UAE (Dubai) and CROWN Maghreb Can in Tunisia (Tunis).

All of these plants are Joint Ventures with its local partners, A.H. Algosaibi & Bros. The Algosaibi group is a large Saudi holding company with a broad range of business interests. CROWN's partnership with the group in the Middle East dates back more than 25 years.

"We are pleased to be part of this ongoing investment program which will reinforce Crown's leading position in the region," commented Sheik Saud A. Algosaibi, Managing Director of Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi & Bros. "This is very positive news for both existing and potential customers."

Notes to Editors

Crown Holdings, Inc., through its affiliated companies, is a leading supplier of packaging products to consumer marketing companies around the world. World headquarters are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

CROWN Bevcan Europe & Middle East operates 13 beverage can and end facilities across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

     For further information, please contact:
     James West at Harrison Cowley on 0121 236 7532 or email
     Jamesw@harrisoncowley.com

     In Europe: Caroline Archer-Reed, Marketing Director, CROWN Bevcan Europe
     & Middle East; Tel: +33 1 49 18 40 43;
     Email: caroline.archer-reed@eur.crowncork.com

     In the United States: Ron Skotleski, Director of Marketing, CROWN Beverage Packaging; Tel: (215) 718-1303; Email: ron.skotleski@crowncork.com.

     For investors: Timothy J. Donahue, Senior Vice President - Finance, Tel:
     (215) 698-5088.

SOURCE  Crown Holdings, Inc.
    -0-                             07/20/2005
    /CONTACT:  James West of Harrison Cowley, 0121 236 7532,
Jamesw@harrisoncowley.com; In Europe: Caroline Archer-Reed, Marketing
Director, CROWN Bevcan Europe & Middle East, +33 1 49 18 40 43,
caroline.archer-reed@eur.crowncork.com; In the United States: Ron Skotleski, 
Director of Marketing, CROWN Beverage Packaging; Tel: (215) 718-1303; 
Email: ron.skotleski@crowncork.com.; For investors: Timothy J. Donahue, Senior Vice
President - Finance, Crown Holdings, +1-215-698-5088/
    /Web site:  http://www.crowncork.com /
    (CCK)

CO:  Crown Holdings, Inc.; CROWN Bevcan Europe & Middle East; Ahmad Hamad
     Algosaibi & Bros.; Roeslein
ST:  Pennsylvania, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
IN:  FOD
SU:

PD
-- PHW041 --
9901 07/20/2005 17:03 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com

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