Sonoco has been in business for more than 110 years.
On May 10, 1999, the Company celebrated its 100-year anniversary by commissioning a bronze sculpture to capture the spirit of Sonoco people – past, present and future – and the culture and values they represent. The sculpture, titled People Build Businesses, is located in front of the Company's corporate headquarters in Hartsville, South Carolina, U.S.
Sonoco’s roots can be traced to the Southern Novelty Company, which was founded in Hartsville on May 10, 1899. Our first product was a cone-shaped paper yarn carrier used for winding and transporting yarn. Since most of the textile cones of that day were wooden, paper cones were a novelty. The Company soon became the leading producer of cones in the United States.
The Southern Novelty Company continued to diversify its product line and add new operations around the country. In 1923, the Southern Novelty Company name was changed to Sonoco Products Company, using the first two letters from each word of its original name.
For more information about Sonoco’s history, contact the Corporate Communications department at 843-383-7000.