Sonoco, Swiss Precision Diagnostic Agree to a Packing Services Contract

Sonoco (NYSE: SON), one of the largest diversified global packaging companies, today announced an agreement with Swiss Precision Diagnostics (SPD) to provide packing services for SPD’s wide range of pregnancy diagnostic kits at Sonoco’s Pack Center in Strykow, Poland. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, SPD is a joint venture between Procter & Gamble and Inverness Medical.

Sonoco’s Strykow plant provides full-service, customized packing services to several international customers. In looking for a partner to handle its packing needs, SPD sought a company that offered the rapid response and packing capabilities required to successfully operate in a competitive European location. Products packed at the plant will come from several global sources before being shipped to SPD’s European distribution network.

"Sonoco was chosen because of its great reputation and proven results in consumer packaging,” said Scott Majestic, director of product supply with SPD. "The company’s Strykow location is ideally suited to meet our growing EMEA business and its global capability could be a strategic advantage in the future.”

Brad Ross, division vice president and general manager Sonoco CorrFlex and Packaging Services, said, "Our pack center in Strykow is known for its ability to customize packing services for our many global consumer goods companies. SPD is familiar with our capabilities at Strykow and therefore is comfortable with us as a partner.”

About Swiss Precision Diagnostics (SPD)

SPD was formed in 2007 as a joint venture between Procter & Gamble and Inverness Medical Innovations. SPD is a world leader in the research, design, production and supply of advanced consumer diagnostic products, with brands such as Clearblue^® and PERSONA^®, known & trusted by consumers. SPD has the combined and complementary skills of its parent companies to bring the very best of diagnostic innovation into the home and to bring professional technology right to the consumers’ finger-tips for better control of their own health at home.

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/.