Sonoco Adds New Composite Can Plant in Mexico
HARTSVILLE, S.C., June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Sonoco (NYSE: SON), a $2.6 billion global packaging company based in Hartsville, S.C., has recently opened a new manufacturing operation in Delicias, Chihuahua, Mexico, it was announced by Peter C. Browning, president and chief executive officer.
The 20,000-square-foot facility, which represents an investment of nearly one million dollars, will produce composite paperboard canisters for Mead Johnson, a Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Mead Johnson plans to package powdered infant formulas, powdered nutritional products and powdered chocolate beverage for Mexico and other Latin American countries in these user-friendly canisters. Sonoco currently has seven locations in Mexico producing a wide range of consumer and industrial packaging for Latin American markets.
"Since entering the Mexican market with Sonoco de Mexico in 1950, Sonoco has considered Latin America a good opportunity, representing a very strong, growing market for our industrial and consumer packaging products. Mexico is an important part of our overall strategy," says Raymond McGowan, group vice president responsible for Sonoco's global consumer products operations. "We are pleased to be part of Mead Johnson's expansion, and this plant is typical of our plan for future growth in Latin America," added McGowan.
Sonoco's Delicias plant features one production line capable of making 401, 502 and 603 diameter canisters. This flexibility will allow Sonoco to produce canisters in a wide range of sizes capable of accommodating a broad range of food and non-food products. While Mead Johnson will command all of the plant's initial capacity, Sonoco plans to install additional lines as customers are secured. The Delicias plant will employ 25 to 30 employees.
In addition to composite canisters, Sonoco produces tubes, cores, paperboard and protective corner posts in its Mexican operations.
Celebrating 100 years of global packaging, Sonoco produces a broad line of industrial and consumer packaging and is the world's largest producer of composite paperboard canisters. Sonoco's 16,500 team members serve customers from 275 locations in 32 countries.
SOURCE Sonoco
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CONTACT: Allan V. Cecil, Vice President of Sonoco, 843-383-7524