The leading provider of metal packaging solutions.
As the largest provider of metal food packaging in the United States, Silgan Containers is trusted by America’s most respected brands. Our reputation is based on a foundation of quality, excellence and unsurpassed technical expertise, enabling us to be a dedicated solutions-based partner to our customers.
The roots of our knowledge.
Silgan Containers officially became a company in 1987, acquiring its first self-make can operation from Carnation Company. Our expertise in can making can be traced back to 1899 when the Carnation Company began making its evaporated milk cans. This acquisition marked the first of many historical events that led to the company we are today.
THE HISTORY OF SILGAN
 1899Carnation Company (then Pacific Coast Condensed Milk Company) opens its first self-made can operation in Kent, WA. |
 1901Union Can Company, Hoopeston, IL, joins American Can Company. |
 1935National Can Company established. |
 1936Campbell's Soup company begins manufacturing cans. |
 1941-45Hormel Spam® canned luncheon meat feeds WWII Allied troops. |
 1953Del Monte begins manufacturing cans. |
 1960Easy-open food can ends introduced. |
 1969Canned Carnation Spreadables® go to the moon on Apollo 11 |
 1970Carnation’s Can Division
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 1979American Can begins commercial sales to Green Giant. |
 1986American and National Can merge to form American National Can Company. Carnation’s Can Division begins high-speed aluminum can production. |
 1987Silgan Containers Corporation created with the purchase of Carnation's Can Division. |
 1988Silgan Containers acquires Ft. Madison Can Company |
 1993Del Monte’s metal Container manufacturing division acquired. Northern Can System’s Menomonie, WI, manufacturing facility acquired. |
 1995American National Can Co.’s Food Metal & Specialty Business acquired. |
 1996Finger Lakes Packaging Co. acquired. |
 1997Kraft’s Tarrant, AL, plate processing facility acquired. Alcoa’s aluminum closure facility acquired. |
 1998Campbell Soup Company’s can manufacturing operations acquired. |
 1999Can of the Year® award from The Canmaker magazine for the Hormel Spam® 2-piece aluminum container. Silgan celebrates 100th birthday of Carnation's Evaporated Milk can. |
 2000Chiquita Payette, WA, can making facility acquired. |
 2003Pacific Coast Producers container manufacturing facility acquired. |
 2004Dot Top earns "Can of the Year" honors from The Canmaker magazine. |
 2011Nestlé Purina Pet Care Co. steel can assets for pet food products is acquired. |
 2014Acquisition of Van Can assets. |
