What DS Containers does

DS Containers is a privately held U.S. manufacturer of two-piece laminated steel aerosol cans, headquartered in Batavia, Illinois, with a second manufacturing and warehouse facility in West Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 2003 by packaging veteran William J. Smith, Sr. as a Japanese-American partnership with Daiwa Can Company (the name DS derives from 'Daiwa-Seikan,' Japanese for can making), the company holds exclusive North American rights to Daiwa's proprietary coil-to-can laminated steel technology and is the only producer of two-piece laminated steel aerosol cans in the industry.

The company's core product is a single family of two-piece polymer-coated steel aerosol cans made from PET-laminated tin-free steel, eliminating welded side seams, solvent-based interior linings, and copper usage. Six can sizes (211x315, 211x413, 211x604, 211x713, 205x604, 205x710) support applications across personal care, healthcare, industrial/automotive, and food/beverage end markets. Differentiated features include up to 8-color dry-offset printing, debossing for shelf presence, BPA-free and heavy-metal-free interior, DOT-2Q pressure certification (180/270 psig), 18 Bar EU rating, and FDA/EU food-contact compliance with annual third-party audit.

DS Containers operates a direct B2B sales model to product manufacturers with a 15,000-can minimum order for printed cans and quote-based pricing. Distribution is exclusively domestic (United States), and the company generates revenue through one-time product sales across its six SKUs. Production runs on seven lines built out in waves from 2005 to 2022, with Line 7 beginning production in May 2022. Go-to-market relies on industry-association memberships, trade-publication referrals, and facility tours rather than digital marketing, and the company emphasizes short lead times and the lowest minimum order quantity in the industry as its commercial differentiators.

Name

DS Containers

Legal name

DS Containers

Website

https://dscontainers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

DS Containers is a U.S. manufacturer of two-piece laminated steel aerosol cans using proprietary technology licensed from Japan's Daiwa Can Company. The company serves personal care, healthcare, industrial, and food-packaging customers from facilities in Batavia and West Chicago, Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Batavia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Steel Aerosol Can Sales: DS Containers manufactures and sells two-piece polymer-coated steel aerosol cans to industrial and consumer product companies. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales based on customer order quantities with a minimum of 15,000 printed cans. The company offers various can sizes (211x315, 211x413, 211x604, 211x713, 205x604, 205x710) and customization options including debossing and multi-color printing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DS Containers manufactures and sells two-piece polymer-coated steel aerosol cans produced from tin-free steel laminated with PET polymer on both interior and exterior surfaces. Using proprietary technology licensed from Daiwa Can Company of Japan, the company converts coiled steel into finished decorated cans in approximately 20 minutes across six available can sizes for personal care, healthcare, industrial, automotive, and food product applications.

Product overview

DS Containers offers a single core product line: two-piece laminated steel aerosol cans branded under the Steel product family. These cans are manufactured using proprietary technology from Daiwa Can Company of Japan and are produced at state-of-the-art facilities in Batavia and West Chicago, Illinois. The company is the only producer of two-piece laminated steel aerosol cans in the industry. The product portfolio consists of one unified product with multiple size variants (211×315, 211×413, 211×604, 211×713, 205×604, 205×710) and optional features such as debossing, bag-on-valve, and various overcap/dispensing options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Two-Piece Laminated Steel Aerosol Cans Two-piece polymer-coated steel aerosol cans that eliminate side seams and top seams, made from tin-free steel laminated with PET polymer on both interior and exterior surfaces. Available in six sizes (211×315, 211×413, 211×604, 211×713, 205×604, 205×710) for personal care, automotive, household cleaners, food, and industrial aerosol applications. Features BPA-free interior, rust-resistant bottom, DOT-2Q pressure rating, and 100% recyclability. Sold to product manufacturers with a 15,000-can minimum litho order.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cans are at least 10% lighter than comparable three-piece aerosol containers
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Daiwa Can CompanycoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2003Japanese-American partnership (DS is derived from Daiwa-Seikan, Japanese for can making). Daiwa Can Company of Japan developed the proprietary laminated steel technology that DS Containers uses. Daiwa originated many innovations in the Japanese can industry including the first drawn-and-ironed steel cans, centralized end making, coil laminating, and the 'New Bottle Can'. Daiwa has 11 plants representing approximately one-third of the can industry in Japan. The technology was adapted for steel and the aerosol market.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Crown Holdings: Crown Holdings is one of the largest global metal packaging manufacturers, producing steel and aluminum aerosol cans alongside food and beverage cans. They directly compete with DS Containers in the steel aerosol can category and represent the primary large-scale competitor for industrial and consumer aerosol accounts.
• Ball Corporation: Ball Corporation is a major global manufacturer of metal packaging including aluminum and steel aerosol containers for personal care, household, and industrial products. They overlap with DS Containers on steel aerosol can supply to consumer goods companies and operate at much greater scale.
• Ardagh Metal Packaging: Ardagh Metal Packaging is a pure-play publicly traded manufacturer of metal cans and containers including aerosol cans serving beverage, food, personal care, and industrial markets. They are a direct competitor to DS in the aerosol packaging segment with comparable steel can offerings.
• Allstate Can Corporation: Allstate Can Corporation is a US-based manufacturer of custom steel and aluminum aerosol cans for personal care, automotive, and industrial products. They are a closer-sized, same-customer-type competitor to DS Containers in the mid-market custom aerosol can segment.
• TUBEX GmbH: TUBEX is a German specialist manufacturer of aluminum aerosol cans serving personal care, pharmaceutical, and food customers globally. They directly overlap with DS in the aerosol can category and represent competition in the same customer verticals, particularly in healthcare and personal care.

Broad incumbents

• Sonoco Products Company: Sonoco is a diversified global packaging company with metal aerosol can production as part of a much broader portfolio across rigid paper, plastics, and protective packaging. They compete with DS in the aerosol segment but operate across many more categories and end markets.
• Daiwa Can Company: Daiwa Can Company is the Japanese parent/technology partner of DS Containers and operates ~11 plants representing roughly one-third of Japan's can industry. They originate the laminated steel technology DS uses and are a relevant comparable for the underlying business model even though they primarily serve the Japanese market.

Regional players

• Nussbaum Matzingen AG: Nussbaum is a Swiss manufacturer of aluminum aerosol cans and other specialty containers serving personal care and pharmaceutical customers primarily in Europe. They are comparable to DS in product/category but compete in a different geographic market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DSContainers
• Facebookfacebook.com/dscontainers

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DS Containers