Sonoco Announces Launch of Its True Blue(TM) Sustainability Brand
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New Brand to Serve as Umbrella for All of the Company's Sustainable Packaging Solutions and Services
HARTSVILLE, S.C.-Sep. 22, 2009-- Sonoco (NYSE: SON), one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, today announced True Blue(TM), a new umbrella brand for packaging solutions and recycling services that have met stringent sustainability requirements. The Company is officially launching this new sustainable brand at the Sustainable Packaging Forum in Atlanta, Ga.
To qualify for the Sonoco True Blue program, a package must clearly offer an advantage over the package it is intended to replace, either through the use of more sustainable materials or source reduction. A package may also qualify if during the production process it uses less energy, water or raw material, or results in fewer carbon emissions. Any of these improvements should be verifiable via a life-cycle assessment, by third-party certification or through recognition from an independent industry organization.
"For more than a century Sonoco has been engaged in "green" initiatives, long before sustainability was considered important. Now, we are taking our efforts to a new level, a True Blue level, with the creation of a brand for our packaging products and recycling services," said Charles Sullivan, Sonoco's executive vice president, Consumer, adding that the Company was recently named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, recognizing the Company's economic, environmental and social performance.
"Customers now have a one-stop shop when looking for sustainable packaging solutions that reduce environmental impact. Because Sonoco is not committed to only one sustainable packaging platform, technology or format, we can offer a breadth of solutions that incorporate the latest research to fit a customer's specific needs. The True Blue brand focuses our environmentally responsible offerings to meet the unique needs of our customers whether they need composite cans, flexible packaging, rigid plastic containers, ends and closures, protective packaging or a customized solution."
Sullivan added, "Our designers, engineers and material scientists are leading research efforts and spearheading some of the latest innovations in the packaging field. Our True Blue brand draws together the immense pool of skills and experience that we have across the Company dedicated to developing superior design concepts that meet our customers' performance, cost and sustainability requirements."
Sonoco, a total packaging solutions provider, offers a full range of packaging supply chain products and services from concept and design to reclamation and recycling. Sonoco has developed a proprietary sustainable packaging design software program that helps customers reduce their packaging environmental footprint by substituting materials, down-gauging structures and simplifying packaging to improve its recyclability. Sonoco has established partnerships with many of its customers to recover and recycle packaging and reduce landfill wastes coming from the customer's manufacturing, distribution and retail locations. Sonoco Recycling facilities reclaim or recover more than three million tons of material each year.
Derek Trader, Global Consumer Marketing Manager, said, "Sonoco's strength is in its total solutions capabilities. These include its material recycling programs, its diversified product offerings, and its technical acumen for sustainable packaging design. In addition to our vertical integration in many raw material supply chains, we have excellent external supplier relationships, which are critical in executing the design and qualification work. Also, we provide comprehensive technical support, such as physical and analytical testing, distribution testing, and on-site equipment support for specific product qualification and commercialization through our state-of-the-art Packaging Development Center and field technical service staff."
Currently, the following products are a part of the Sonoco True Blue brand: shaped and round composite cans, blow-molded plastic containers, thermoformed packages, molded and extruded plastics products, ends and closures, printed flexible packaging, point-of-purchase displays and protective packaging. The Company also provides a wide range of commercial and residential recycling services. Visit sonoco.com/trueblue to learn more.
About Sonoco
Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a $4.1 billion global manufacturer of consumer and industrial products and provider of packaging services, with about 300 operations in 35 countries, serving customers in some 85 nations. Sonoco is a proud member of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. For more information on the Company, visit our Web site at sonoco.com.
Source: Sonoco
Sonoco
Robin Montgomery,
843-383-7509
robin.montgomery@sonoco.com
