8-K

UNITED  STATES
SECURITIES  AND  EXCHANGE  COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,  D.C.  20549
___________________________

FORM  8-K

CURRENT  REPORT
PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  13  OR  15(D)  OF  THE
SECURITIES  EXCHANGE  ACT  OF  1934

DATE  OF  REPORT:  MARCH  15,  1999

ALLTRISTA  CORPORATION



                                             
            INDIANA              0-21052                 35-1828377
   ----------------------  ----------------------  -------------------------     
   State of Incorporation  Commission File Number  IRS Identification Number


                5875 CASTLE CREEK PARKWAY, NORTH DRIVE, SUITE 440
                             INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46250

       REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE: (317) 577-5000
      _____________________________________________________________________




ITEM  5.  OTHER  EVENTS.

     Alltrista Corporation ("Alltrista") announced on March 15, 1999 that it had
entered  into  a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets
of  Triangle  Plastics,  Inc.  and  of  its  subsidiary,  TriEnda  Corporation.

     The definitive agreement provides for a purchase price payment by Alltrista
of  $148.0  million.  The  seller  will retain substantially all of its existing
indebtedness.

ITEM  7.  FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS  AND  EXHIBITS.

     (c)     Exhibit  99     Press  release  dated  March  15,  1999.





                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to  the  requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has  duly  caused  this  report  to  be  signed on its behalf by the
undersigned  hereunto  duly  authorized.

          ALLTRISTA  CORPORATION
          (Registrant)




     By:  /s/ Thomas B. Clark
          Thomas  B.  Clark
          President  and  Chief  Executive  Officer
          March  16,  1999





                              ALLTRISTA CORPORATION
                                    FORM 8-K
                                  EXHIBIT INDEX






                                       
Exhibit  Description                         Page
- -------  ----------------------------------  ----
Ex 99    Press Release dated March 15, 1999     5

EX-99

Alltrista  Corporation       News
5875  Castle  Creek  Parkway,  North  Drive,  Suite  440
Indianapolis, Indiana 46250-4330



  ALLTRISTA CORPORATION LAUNCHES EXPANSION DRIVE; WILL ACQUIRE TRIANGLE PLASTICS
                                      INC.
ACQUISITION PLACES ALLTRISTA AS LARGEST INDUSTRIAL THERMOFORMER IN NORTH AMERICA


INDIANAPOLIS,  March  15,  1999-Alltrista Corporation, a manufacturer of plastic
and  metal products, today took the first major step in its previously announced
expansion  drive  by  signing a definitive agreement to acquire for $148 million
the  assets of Triangle Plastics Inc., and those of its wholly owned subsidiary,
TriEnda  Corporation.  The  seller  is  retaining an undisclosed amount of debt.
     Triangle Plastics is the country's leading industrial plastics thermoformer
with  1998  sales  of  $114  million, five production facilities and a technical
center,  employing  approximately  1,100  people.
     The  business will be operated under Alltrista's plastic products group and
will  join its current thermoforming operations, creating the largest industrial
thermoformer  in  North  America  and  providing  a  platform  for  additional
acquisitions  in  thermoforming  and material handling.  Thermoforming softens a
rigid  plastic  sheet  under  heat  and  molds  it  into  a  finished  part.
     Thomas  B.  Clark,  Alltrista's  president  and  chief  executive  officer,
indicated  that  the move was consistent with the corporation's strategy to be a
leader  in all businesses in which it participates.  "Triangle Plastics is a key
step in achieving our goal to grow our company to $500 million in sales with $50
million  in operating earnings by the year 2002," said Mr. Clark.  "To meet this
goal  we  must  grow  by 15 percent annually, and the Triangle Plastics business
fits  that  criteria.  Triangle  has  a  meaningful size and a strong management
team,  plus  we  are  buying  a business and a technology with which we are very
familiar.
     "The  acquisition  will contribute to Alltrista earnings in 1999."  He said
Triangle  has achieved substantial growth in recent years and, most importantly,
has  significant  growth  opportunities  in  each  of  the  markets  it  serves.
"Triangle  Plastics  is  known  for  its  high-quality  products,  exceptional
value-added  services,  state-of-the  art facilities and for high-design-content
products."
     Triangle  Plastics  Inc.  founder  and  chairman, James L. Blin, said, "The
acquisition  presents  a  unique  opportunity  for  two  strong organizations to
combine  their  common  vision  of aggressive growth.  The new relationship will
benefit customers from both corporations and it provides an exciting opportunity
for  existing  employees."
     The  company's  Triangle  division  manufactures  heavy  gauge  industrial
thermoformed  parts  for  original  equipment  manufacturers  in  a  variety  of
industries,  including  the  heavy  trucking,  agricultural,  portable  toilet,
recreational  and  construction  markets.  Facilities  for  the  division are in
Oelwein  and  Winthrop,  Iowa;  Cookeville,  Tenn.  and  Auburndale,  Fla.  The
division's  technical  center  is  located  in  Independence,  Iowa.
     The TriEnda operation, which has a manufacturing facility in Portage, Wis.,
is  a  leading  domestic  and  international  supplier  of  plastic thermoformed
products  for  material  handling  applications,  producing both proprietary and
custom  pallets,  bulk  packs  and  dunnage.  Major  markets  served  include
automotive,  the  United  States  Postal  Service,  grocery,  printing, textile,
chemical  and  pharmaceuticals.
     "In  recent years, plastics have experienced strong growth as they steadily
displace wood and corrugate packaging and pallets because of their light weight,
durability,  flexibility  of  design  and recyclability," Mr. Clark said.  "More
than  500  million  pallets  are  produced  annually  in the United States, with
worldwide  demand  at 1.5 billion per year, and plastic pallets account for only
four  to six percent of the current market in the U.S.; we are at an early point
of  plastics  penetrating  this market, therefore growth opportunities should be
significant."
     Approximately  42  percent  of  Alltrista's $244 million in 1998 sales came
from  its  plastics  group,  which  produces  thermoformed, injection molded and
coextruded  sheet  products.  The company, through its metals group, is also the
leading supplier of home canning products, under the Ball  and Kerr  brands, and
is  the  country's  largest  producer  of  zinc  strip  and fabricated products,
including  coin  blanks  for  the  U.S.  and  Royal  Canadian  Mints.
                                      -end-




Note:  This news release may contain forward-looking statements as encouraged by
the  Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform  Act  of  1995.   Forward-looking
statements  are  necessarily  projections  which  are subject to change upon the
occurrence  of  certain  events which may affect the business, many of which are
set  forth  in  the  company's 8-K report filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission  on  June  10,  1997.











3/99-Contact  Larry  Miller,  317.577.5015,  nights  at  765.286.5856  or e-mail
lmiller@alltrista.com