Sonoco places new operation in Richmond

HARTSVILLE, S.C., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sonoco (NYSE: SON),the global packaging company, today announced that it will consolidate its Keating Rotogravure cylinder manufacturing facility in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and its pre-press graphics operation in Richmond, Virginia, into a new state-of-the-art pre-press graphics and cylinder manufacturing facility to be located in Richmond.

According to Charles W. Coker, Jr., division vice president and general manager - Flexible Packaging, the consolidation of the two facilities into a new larger and fully automated facility in Richmond will double the present pre-press graphics and cylinder manufacturing capacity of the existing two facilities when it becomes operational in January 2007. "Our Keating pre-press graphics and image carrier operations continue to perform well in the marketplace, leading us to further invest and grow this business," said Coker. "The consolidation and development of a new facility will meet our customers' growing needs, both now and in the nearfuture." Keating will continue to manufacture flexographic image carriers, provide graphics and customer service in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Some of the 25 Toronto employees affected by the consolidation will be offered transfers within the Company. Employees who are displaced will be offered severance and outplacement services. Since its inception in 1997, Keating has become one of the premier suppliers of pre-press graphics and image carriers in North America, serving customers through facilities in Charlotte, N.C., and Richmond.

Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a $3.5 billion global manufacturer ofindustrial and consumer packaging products and provider of packaging services, with more than 300 operations in 35 countries, serving customers in 85 nations. Additional information about Sonoco is available at http://www.sonoco.com.

I'm glad to see that Sonoco has gone with Richmond for their new operations. We always see a boost in the local economy when one of these big conglomerates comes into our area. I imagine we'll be hearing radio spots on WRVA about available new positions with this company in our area, but maybe not. They may already have an apt workforce lined up for the move, but I doubt it.