Metal can sales return to growth in US

Sales of canmaking products in the US were healthily up in the first quarter of the year, following a downturn in 2010 and 2011.

Shipments of beverage cans were up 1.4 percent to 21.7 billion, while food cans were up 2.7 percent at 6.0 billion units, according to figures released by the Washington DC-based Can Manufacturers Institute.