Headquartered in Hartsville, S.C., Sonoco is a global leader in value-added sustainable metal and fiber consumer and industrial packaging. The Company’s approximately 23,400 team members make their marks on products that you likely interact with every day, like the iconic rigid paper containers that keep your favorite chips crisp, steel food cans that keep your go-to baked beans flavorful and cores that your paper products wrap around.
The Company’s 285 operations serve some of the world’s best-known brands, but giving back to the communities it serves is also part of the fabric of Sonoco. From hosting educational events for local students to collecting recycled materials to create new packaging, Sonoco’s strategically located facilities provide hands-on learning opportunities and support customers with its internal supply of sustainable materials.
A Global Packaging Company Based in South Carolina
Local and global, that’s the benefit Sonoco provides to customers, communities and employees. Founded in 1899, Sonoco’s small-town roots continue to expand globally—most recently adding Europe’s leading metal packaging manufacturer, Eviosys.
Sonoco President and CEO Howard Coker said of the acquisition, “Guided by our vision of Better Packaging. Better Life.®, we are driven to support our customers, communities and planet with solutions that make a real difference. By adding our expertise to Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and expanding our existing footprint, we now have become a global leader in metal packaging.”
This acquisition supports the best-known consumer and industrial brands with an enhanced sustainability footprint, global reach and circular packaging solutions across EMEA.
Advancing South Carolina Manufacturing
‘People build business by doing the right thing’ is Sonoco’s Guiding Principle. By investing in the manufacturing workforce of tomorrow with professional apprenticeships for high school students as well as technical school students and graduates, the Company is creating a talent pipeline for skilled trades and upskilling apprentices with knowledge currently needed or that will be needed in the future.
Apprentices who participate in our range of apprenticeship programs across all states Sonoco operates within receive:
- On-the-job training with side-by-side teaching from seasoned Sonoco professionals.
- Job-related instruction in technical theory through partnerships with local colleges and schools.
- A progressive wage scale for those who progress in and finish the program, earning their Journeyman Certificate.
- Foundational training and business-specific skills needed to support business needs.
Investing in South Carolina Communities
Packaging is only the start of Sonoco’s dedication to serving local communities. Guided by its Better Packaging. Better Life.® promise, the Company supports local communities across the world through volunteering, charitable donations and other impactful efforts.
Sonoco recently partnered with the Darlington County Humane Society (DCHS) in Hartsville. Through Sonoco’s generosity and team efforts, the facility expanded upon a traditional animal shelter to incorporate a community hub for educational programs, meetings and events. Today, its local mentors—called Positive Advocates Working with Students or PAWS mentors—are helping shape a compassionate future for animals and individuals within this Pee Dee. Learn more about this one-of-a-kind facility here!
Sonoco is also committed to forward-thinking sustainability initiatives. “Our Sonoco teams are innovating, investing and collaborating across the globe to build a more sustainable future for our customers, communities and our planet,” said Howard Coker. “With a simplified portfolio of more sustainable metal and fiber packaging, we’re enhancing our commitment to serve as a valued partner to our customers in reducing the environment impacts of their packaging.”