History of the Aluminum Can

The Common Household Object We Take for Granted

You probably don’t know it, but every time you take a sip from a can of soda, or open up a can of Campbell’s© soup, you are enjoying the benefits of aluminum. That’s right, it makes up an integral part of our lives but we give it very little recognition. Well today we’re going to discuss the miracle that is the aluminum can. It’s important to take notice at the impressive history of the aluminum can. There are actually three very important events in the life of aluminum cans that should be noted: the birth, the renovation, and the effective environmental benefits that come from aluminum can packaging. It’s hard to believe, but the can has been around for more than 200 years!

When the French government needed to find a new and more productive way to preserve food, they set up a contest to see who could take on the task. With a prize of 12,000 francs going to the person who could come up with a successful idea, people jumped at the opportunity. Someone finally came to the conclusion to bottle food much in the way that wine was. Thus, the first method of “canning” began (This History of Can Making 1). Actually though, food was stored in glass bottles rather than cans but this soon paved the way for what we see today. 

Upon hearing of the French notion of food preservation, a man named Peter Durand innovated the notion of bottle storage to include using metals, such as tin. Durand noticed that the tin didn’t break as easily as glass, and replaced the often times unreliable cork. In 1813 the first canning facility was established. Although only a trial issues, canned goods were shipped to soldiers and sailors all over the British Empire.