PLANTING OUR ROOTS: 1899-1969
When Uncle Sam called, many Sonoco employees answered, meeting the challenges of World War II. Not all of our contributions happened in the theater of war, however. In fact, much of our impact during the war years was driven by work on the home front.
At the time, American industry had largely pivoted its focus to the global conflict. The automotive, grocery, retail and even entertainment industries all found new ways to support the Allied Forces and maintain supply chains.
Few people would have expected a paper company to become so important for the wartime effort. Hindsight is 20/20, but Sonoco had been primed for this moment since our beginnings.
Our success has always relied heavily on the ability to adapt, and World War II was perhaps the most urgent call to adapt that Sonoco had ever seen.
In addition to producing a broad range of materials for munitions and supplies, Sonoco focused much of our efforts on building soldiers a home away from home.
Then-Vice President Charles W. Coker wrote a letter for our first publication of “The Sonoco News,” launched to maintain contact with employees serving abroad. In it, he stated: “The Spiral Department is busy on big tubes for barracks construction, and believe it or not, Henry Montgomery in the Treated Tube Department, is making paper pipe that actually holds water.”
We’d been woven into American life since the first part of the 20th century, but World War II urged us to innovate on the world stage.
For excellence in war production, Sonoco’s employees received the Army-Navy “E” award, first presented in 1943. Over the course of the war, three stars were added to the flag, representing three renewals of the award. These stars signaled the merit of our hard-working team members who built Sonoco.
1943 also saw Sonoco become the first industrial firm in South Carolina to be presented with the National Security Award, and our hardworking employees earned a fine distinction for their contributions to U.S. war bonds. For 100% employee participation in war bond purchases, Sonoco was given the Treasury Award—and proudly flew a flag featuring the recognition over our original plant.
As production shifted, so did our workforce. By February 1943, we employed 585 women, a number that grew to more than 1,000 by September. Even Coker College students began lending a hand after morning classes.
The plant floor evolved along with our output.
Innovation often happens on the basis of need, and sometimes that need is dire. World War II pressed us to innovate in the midst of global turmoil—and strengthened our ability to unite teams under our common purpose of Better Packaging. Better Life.
