Sonoco Announces Consumer Packaging and Services Management Appointments

Sonoco (NYSE: SON), one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, today announced management appointments in its Consumer Packaging and Packaging Services segments, according to Harris E. DeLoach Jr., chairman, president and chief executive officer. All of the appointments are effective July 1, 2007.

Rob C. Tiede, 48, president of Sonoco CorrFlex, has been named division vice president and general manager of Sonoco’s Flexible Packaging division. In this position, Tiede will have responsibility for Sonoco’s North American flexible packaging operations, including seven converting and two cylinder engraving plants in the United States and Canada.

Tiede joined Sonoco in May 2004 as head of Sonoco CorrFlex following the acquisition of the CorrFlex Graphics’ point-of-purchase (P-O-P) merchandising display and supply chain management business. In January 2006, Tiede picked up additional responsibility for the Company’s global packaging services business. Tiede has extensive experience in flexible packaging operations and from 1994 through 1998 was executive vice president of Graphic Packaging International, Inc., heading its flexible packaging division. Sonoco acquired Graphic Packaging’s flexible packaging operations in 1999. Tiede also was president of Sterling International from 1998 to 2000 and president of Bostic Packaging/CorrFlex from 2000 to 2004.

Tiede received a business administration diploma from Red River Community College in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in 1980 and is a chartered accountant with the Canadian Institute of Charted Accountants for Manitoba and Canada. Tiede will relocate to Hartsville from Winston-Salem, N.C., and continues to report to Charles L. Sullivan, Jr., executive vice president of Sonoco’s global consumer packaging and services businesses.

Brad D. Ross, 47, division vice president and general manager—Procter & Gamble, has been named division vice president and general manager of Sonoco’s Packaging Services segment, replacing Tiede. In this position, Ross will have responsibility for Sonoco’s North American point-of-purchase merchandising display and global packaging services operations and will continue to have global responsibility for coordinating Sonoco’s relationship with Procter & Gamble, until a replacement can be named. He will remain in Winston-Salem and continues to report to Sullivan.

Ross joined Sonoco in 1987 and has held several sales and marketing management positions in the Company’s consumer packaging and services businesses. From 1993 to 1996, Ross was division marketing manager for Sonoco’s Rigid Paper and Plastics division. He was sales manager and later division vice president of sales and marketing for the Company’s Flexible Packaging division from 1996 to 2000. He developed Sonoco’s Packaging Services division and was division vice president and general manager—Packaging Services from 2000 to 2006 when he was named division vice president and general manager—Procter & Gamble. Ross received a B.S. degree in business administration in 1981 and an MBA in 1986 from the University of North Carolina. He also received a M.A. degree in economics from Old Dominion University in 1988.

Charles W. Coker, Jr., 46, currently division vice president and general manager—Flexible Packaging, has been named staff vice president of customer and business development. Coker replaces Eddie L. Smith, who became vice president—Industrial Products and Paper/Europe in January 2007. In this position, Coker will be responsible for measuring and driving improvements in customer satisfaction and coordinating business development and cross-selling opportunities between all of Sonoco’s industrial and consumer businesses. He will report to DeLoach.