Sonoco Recognized by Prestigious Design Competition for Protective Packaging Created with Hewlett-Packard

HARTSVILLE, S.C.--(Business Wire)--
Sonoco (NYSE: SON), a global packaging leader, today announced it has been
recognized in the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) competition for
its work in co-developing a new protective package design with Hewlett-Packard
(HP) for its large LaserJet office printers. Sonoco received the award jointly
with HP after being selected from more than 1,500 entries to IDEA, the premier
international competition honoring design excellence in products, ecodesign,
interaction design, packaging strategy, research and concepts.

This newly designed protective packaging for many of the large HP LaserJet
office printers helps to protect each unit by using top and bottom corrugated
trays, Sonoco`s proprietary Sonopost® cornerposts for advanced vertical
compression and impact performance, and top and bottom foam pads, all
shrink-wrapped together to form a unique and highly effective package. For
larger, heavier units, the customers` needs were kept in mind by providing ramps
for unloading once the unit arrives at its location.

Developed as part of HP`s packaging transformation program, these new package
designs greatly reduce the amount of materials needed. In one pack example, the
foam volume was reduced by more than 50 percent, the corrugated weight was
reduced by more than 69 percent, and the overall packaging volume was reduced by
52 percent. In addition, most of the packaging components are made using
recycled paper, making them readily recyclable in many areas.

Jim Lowry, director of new business development for Sonoco`s Protective
Packaging group, said Sonoco worked with HP for two years to develop these new
packaging concepts.

"Our goal in working with HP was to help them adapt packaging concepts Sonoco
developed for the white appliance industry to work on more fragile electronic
equipment. Together, we achieved a better package without sacrificing
performance," he explained. "The end result is a durable packaging system that
uses less material and yet passes all of HP`s testing requirements as well as
its current traditional package design. Also, from a sustainability perspective,
less material means less waste in the end, lower freight emissions and reduced
landfill space."

Sonoco and HP were recognized in the packaging and graphics category of the
competition, which is conducted and managed by the Industrial Designers Society
of America (IDSA). Winning entries are announced each year on
www.BusinessWeek.com. IDSA has been honoring design excellence via the IDEA
Awards since 1980. IDEA was formerly known as the Industrial Design Excellence
Awards. The name changed in 2007 to emphasize the international reach and
influence of the competition.

About IDEA, Industrial Designers and IDSA

The IDEA program fosters business and public understanding about the impact of
industrial design excellence on the quality of life and the economy.

Industrial designers determine the form, use features and interaction qualities
of manufactured products, packaging and digital media systems. They study people
at work, at home and in motion to create satisfying experiences with products
from the kitchen and the office to the hospital and the warehouse, shaping these
to fit their customers and to make effective use of industrial processes. In
this way, industrial designers have a quiet but profound presence in almost
everything people encounter during the day.

IDSA is the voice of industrial design, committed to advancing the profession
through education, information, community and advocacy.

About Sonoco

Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a $4.1 billion global manufacturer of industrial and
consumer products and provider of packaging services, with about 300 operations
in 35 countries, serving customers in some 85 nations. For more information on
the Company, visit our Web site at http://www.sonoco.com/.

Sonoco
Robin Montgomery, 843-383-7509
robin.montgomery@sonoco.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009