Sonoco Announces Leadership Appointments in its North American Industrial Products Division


HARTSVILLE, S.C., Nov 20, 2008 -- Sonoco (NYSE:SON), one of the largest global packaging companies, today announced senior management appointments in its North American Industrial Products division (IPD), according to Jack Sanders, executive vice president, Industrial. All of the appointments are effective immediately.

John Colyer has been named vice president, Industrial Converted Products, North America. In this new position, he has responsibility for all of Sonoco's North American industrial converting businesses including tubes and cores, wire and cable reels, protective packaging and paperboard specialties.

Colyer joined Sonoco in 1983 and has held numerous senior business leadership and manufacturing positions at the Company in businesses serving industrial and consumer markets. Prior to this appointment, he was vice president and general manager, IPD, North America, and served as division vice president and general manager, IPD, North America since 2006. In 2004, he became division vice president of manufacturing, Industrial Products, North America. Colyer is a graduate of Southern Oregon State University with a B.S. degree in business administration.

"During his 25-year career with Sonoco, John has demonstrated an ability to grow businesses while improving their performance," said Sanders. "Most recently he has led successful efforts to diversify our North American tube and core product offerings by leveraging our existing industrial converting technologies to serve new markets. In this new assignment, he will be focused on expanding growth opportunities for all of our North American industrial converting operations."

Marcy Thompson has been promoted to division vice president and general manager, Industrial Products, North America, reporting to Colyer. In her new role, Thompson will have responsibility for the Company's 45 United States and Canadian tube and core operations.

"Marcy has been successful in improving customer satisfaction while pursuing development of new commercial product applications," said Colyer. "In her new position, Marcy will be focused on expanding our traditional tube and core markets through new product development while further driving business improvement."

Thompson joined Sonoco in 2006 as division vice president of sales and marketing, IPD, North America. Prior to coming to Sonoco, she was chief marketing officer for General Electric Company's Healthcare Commercial Finance business. Thompson has also served in a variety of sales, marketing and business leadership positions with General Electric, The Gillette Company and Inland Steel Company. She is a 1983 graduate of The Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. degree in Metallurgy and holds a Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification.

Greg Powell has been named director of new business development, Converted Products, reporting to Colyer. In this new position, Powell will be responsible for developing new products and business applications for the Company's tube and core and other industrial converted products businesses.

Prior to this appointment, Powell was IPD marketing manager. He joined Sonoco in 2004 as manager of product commercialization. Before joining Sonoco, Powell held marketing and new product development positions with Newell Rubbermaid, Ingersoll-Rand and Danaher Corporation. He holds a B.S. degree in financial management from Clemson University.

About Sonoco

Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a $4.0 billion global manufacturer of industrial and consumer products and provider of packaging services, with more than 300 operations in 35 countries, serving customers in some 85 nations. For more information on the Company, visit our Web site at http://sonoco.com/.

SOURCE: Sonoco

Sonoco
Roger Schrum,
843-339-6018
roger.schrum@sonoco.com

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