an aluminum - polymer composite is made by coating a surface portion of an aluminum alloy body with a primer composition comprising a vinylphosphonic acid - acrylic acid copolymer to form a primer layer , coating the primer layer with a radiation curable polymer precursor , and irradiating the polymer precursor with ultraviolet or electron beam radiation . the process of the invention is particularly suitable for making polymer coated aluminum alloy sheet that is shaped into container end panels for food and beverage containers .