Oxnard Out of Running for Can-Making Plant

Oxnard has failed to make a short list of locations being considered for a can-manufacturing plant by a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch Cos. “I’m afraid the city isn’t close enough to our brewery in Van Nuys,” says Mark Armstrong, a spokesman for Metal Container Corp., the Anheuser packaging unit.

He explained that the new plant will be used primarily to produce cans and lids for Budweiser and other beers brewed at the San Fernando Valley facility, and that proximity to the Valley is a key consideration in choosing a site.

Several Ventura County officials said last week that they had been approached by Metal Container representatives who were concerned about whether a new plant would meet county air-pollution regulations. But Oxnard’s distance from Van Nuys was the key reason for dropping the city from consideration, Armstrong said.

He said five Southern California sites are still being studied for the new plant, which will employ 150 workers. Both Anheuser-Busch and Metal Container are based in St. Louis.