Sonoco to Close Jacksonville Plant Operations

HARTSVILLE, S.C., Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Sonoco (NYSE: SON) today announced that it will close its tube plant in Jacksonville, Florida, and serve its Jacksonville plant customers from other Company locations in the Southeast. The closing is expected to be completed by the end of June 2001.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991006/SNCLOGO )

The Jacksonville facility, located at 7780-1 Westside Industrial Drive, was opened by Sonoco in 1981 and currently employs 19 people. The Company will offer out-placement assistance and in some cases will offer transfers to other Sonoco operations.

"It is always difficult to close an operation, especially when you have people as dedicated as our Jacksonville team and a community as supportive as Jacksonville. Unfortunately, this action is necessary to optimize our overall cost effectiveness and support our commitment to providing the highest value for our customers. This consolidation will in no way affect our ability to serve the markets and customers in the Florida area," said Ronnie Holley - senior vice president, global industrial products/molded plastics.

Sonoco, founded in 1899, is a $2.5 billion manufacturer of industrial and consumer packaging products and provider of packaging services, with approximately 285 operations in 33 countries serving customers in 85 nations. For more information on the Company visit our web site www.sonoco.com.
SOURCE Sonoco
Web site: http: //www.sonoco.com
Photo: NewsCom: http: //www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991006/SNCLOGO AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 201-369-3467
CONTACT: Allan V. Cecil, Vice President of Sonoco, 843-383-7524, or e-mail, allan.cecil@sonoco.com
CAPTION: SNCLOGO SONOCO LOGO Sonoco Logo. (PRNewsFoto)[KC] HARTSVILLE, SC USA 10/06/1999