Aluminum Can Supplier for South America: B2B Sourcing Guide

1. Why South American Beverage Brands Are Switching to Aluminum Cans

South America's beverage landscape is transforming. Craft brewing scenes in Buenos Aires, Bogota, and Lima are expanding beyond glass bottles, premium RTD cocktails are entering retail chains in Santiago, and energy drink consumption keeps climbing across the Andean region. For procurement teams, the aluminum can offers three decisive advantages over glass: roughly 40% lower shipping weight per filled unit, no deposit-return logistics, and full brand-wrap printing across the entire can body.

Because virtually all aluminum beverage cans consumed in South America are imported, choosing the right aluminum can supplier directly determines landed cost, seamer compatibility, and shelf impact. Alucan supplies two-piece aluminum cans and matching 202 B64 SOT / CDL easy-open ends to South American breweries, soft drink bottlers, and contract fillers, with container programs engineered around each country's port and clearance realities.

2. Country-by-Country Can Format Guide

Each South American market rewards a different format. The matrix below reflects the formats we most often coordinate for importers in each country:

The 473ml (16oz) format deserves special attention: it has become the signature craft beer size in Argentina and Colombia, and its wide body pairs with the same 202 neck finish used across the Standard range, so breweries can run multiple sizes on one seamer line without changing neck tooling.

3. Technical Specifications (PDF Data Sheet Values)

The parameters below are taken directly from our product data sheets. The 355ml (12oz) Standard can is the reference specification most South American buyers start with:

The 473ml (16oz) Standard can shares the same 66.04 mm body diameter and 202 neck finish at a taller 157.23 mm height, loading 5835 cans per pallet (93360 cans per 40HQ). Because the two formats share neck tooling and end compatibility, breweries can run both sizes on one seamer line without changing neck tooling:

One production note from our manufacturing program: 355ml and 473ml formats are produced in scheduled campaigns, so order quantities need to reach line-scheduling minimums. Confirm volume plans and lead times with us early—especially ahead of the November–February southern-hemisphere summer peak. Review the full aluminum can size guide to compare Standard, Sleek, and Slim profiles before locking your tooling.

For specialized solid food and dry nutrition packaging applications, we also supply specialized peel-off ends for milk powder cans and high-barrier packaging solutions.

4. Coating Compliance for South American Imports

South American customs authorities and retail chains increasingly request food-contact documentation at registration. Three documents protect your import program: independent migration test reports (SGS or equivalent), FSSC 22000 certification of the supplying production facilities, and written confirmation of the internal coating system on your commercial specification.

For South American beverage programs, the standard internal coating is a water-based modified epoxy resin—an epoxy-phenolic system that has protected carbonated drinks and beer for decades and remains the mainstream choice across Peru, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina. BPA-NI (BPA Non-Intent) coatings are only required in specific regulated markets—such as Norway, Canada, certain US states, and by some global retail groups—and are not a regulatory requirement for South American imports. Because coating selection affects flavor stability for sensitive products—especially wine-in-can and craft IPA programs—we recommend confirming the coating system before tooling rather than after first articles arrive. Our coating guide explains internal lining options in detail.

5. FOB and CIF Shipping to South American Ports

Ocean transit from Chinese ports to South America's west coast typically runs 35–45 days, and 30–40 days to the Atlantic coast depending on the service loop. Those long transits make the Incoterms decision more consequential than in shorter-trade lanes:

• FOB (Free On Board): You control ocean freight and marine insurance through your own forwarder. Experienced South American importers with consolidated annual volumes typically secure better freight rates this way.
• CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight): Alucan coordinates the ocean leg to your nominated port—Callao, Guayaquil, Valparaiso, San Antonio, Buenaventura, or Buenos Aires. First-time importers usually start here to simplify the first cycle, then transition to FOB as volumes stabilize.

For container planning, use the can loading calculator to model pallet arrays and per-container can counts for your target format, and review the export logistics guide for documentation checklists. Ordering ahead of the November–February southern-hemisphere summer peak is the single most effective way to protect launch dates.

Frequently Asked Questions