Sonoco To Close Brantford, Ontario, Tube and Core Plant

Hartsville, South Carolina, USA, 10 November 2006 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Sonoco (NYSE:SON), the global packaging company, will close its Brantford, Ontario, Canada, tube and core plant by the fourth quarter of 2007. The company's paper mill and corporate offices in Brantford will not be affected by this closure.

The closing is part of Sonoco's previously announced plans to reduce its cost structure, which will include approximately 12 plant closings globally, principally in its international operations. Sonoco's tube and core plant at Brantford currently has 44 employees. Several current employees are expected to be transferred to other existing operations. Sonoco will offer outplacement services to all other employees.

"Closing a facility is always difficult because of the obvious impact on employees. However, such actions are necessary to ensure that the company can remain a low-cost competitor. Sonoco has adequate capacity to absorb the volume from the Brantford plant, and the closing will not adversely impact the company's capability to serve its markets and customers," said Jack Sanders, senior vice president.

Sonoco, founded in 1899, is a USD 3.5 billion global manufacturer of consumer and industrial packaging products and provider of packaging services, with more than 300 operations in 35 countries serving customers in some 85 nations. Additional information about Sonoco is available at http://www.sonoco.com/.

Source: Sonoco