Independent Can, Manufacturer of custom tins, stock decorative and seamless tins, industrial cans and quality metal packaging.



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First Can 1929

Seafood Cans

Metal Star 2 - Six Color Line

Bertel's Acquisition

Founded in 1929, Independent Can is a world leader in the manufacturing of specialty metal packaging and metal lithography. Privately held and managed by its principals, we are an American manufacturer with a long history of success that has brought us to the technological forefront in can making. Our growth, both internally and through acquisition, has allowed us to bring new capabilities and products to market. This growth has been achieved without adding layers of bureaucracy that impede responsiveness.

Our product line, which began mainly with large cans for fresh and refrigerated foods for wholesale, has grown to an extensive array of items that serve a wide variety of markets. We have stayed in step with changing market demands without following trendy fads. Financial integrity, experience and vision have enabled continuous investment and innovation to better serve our customers.

Foundation
The first can manufactured by Independent was made in Baltimore Maryland in January of 1929. The can was produced for a local meat packing plant and was designed to hold 50 pounds of lard. From our beginning into the middle 1950’s this was our main product line along with cans for fresh and frozen seafood products.

Key events shaping our future:

1970’s – Join venture with a Michigan can company to manufacture cans for frozen fruit. As a result of that partnership a can plant was built in Ft. Madison, Iowa for the production of cans for the packaging of minerals
1980’s – Acquisition of Quaker Can for the manufacture of cans for welding electrodes. Also acquired later in the decade, Western Specialty Container, a packaging distribution company near Los Angeles.
1985 – Move from Baltimore to a 17-acre campus in Belcamp, MD. Today it houses 370,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing, printing, office and warehouse facilities.
1988 – First stock decorative line of products was offered
1990 – Metal lithography introduced
1993 – First shaped decorative tin was produced
1996 – First drawn seamless tin was produced
2004 – State of the Art 6-color Metal Star 2 press begins operation
2004 – Independent Can celebrates 75th Anniversary
2006 – Acquisition of Crawford Container located in Conneaut, Ohio
2007 – Acquisition of Bertels Can Company located in Wilkes-Barre, PA
2008 - Independent Can celebrates 80th Anniversary
2008 - New state of the art facility in Ft. Madison Iowa
2009 - Purchase and installation of a second Metal Star 2, 4 color printing line
2009 - Purchase and installation of Naroska sheet-fed press
2010 - Installation of UV trail coater on 6 color press
2010 - New 4 color printing line operational, adding to print capacity
2010 - New tooling for a 10" heart shaped tin
2011 - Purchase of new high-speed, energy efficient coating line
2011 - Addition of two new can lines
2011 - Installation of latest prepress software allowing for the fastest and most accurate art and plate development available.

Independent Can, a family owned and operated business with four generations on board, is as committed to can making today as the founders were in 1929.

Huether Family - Four Generations