Skip to main content
125th Anniversary

Sonoco Celebrates 125 Years of Better Packaging. Better Life.®

« View All Insights

Sonoco’s roots go back to 1899—125 years ago. As we celebrate this meaningful milestone, we’re reflecting on our history of people building businesses by doing the right thing.  

Explore our story that spans from our global team of approximately 23,000 across more than 300 operations back to our founding team of 12 in a rented warehouse in Hartsville, South Carolina. 

Building a Sustainable Future (2020-Beyond)

SPS: A Global Way of Working

Find a Way: The Sonoco Drive

Share a Table: The Symbiosis of Sonoco and Partners

The Path to Waste-Free Packing

Do the Right Thing: A Timeless Mantra

A Global Pioneer for Responsible Packaging 

 

Adapting to New Climates (2001-2019) 

Sonoco Stewards: Longstanding Employees

Sonoco Sense: Always Two Steps Ahead

Sonoco Strong: Everyone Pitches In

Unpack the Impact Spotlighting Innovations 

 

 

Growing from the Core (1970-2000)

People Build Businesses: The Fabric of Sonoco

The Cokers & Hartsville: Building for Each Other

Second Nature: Made to Recycle

Customer-First Patents: Packaging for People by People

Safety for All: A Global Sonoco Priority

A Day in Our Lives: The Scope of Sonoco 

 

Planting Our Roots (1899-1969)

Steady as Southern Pine: The Origin Story

The Paper Cone: Peak of Innovation

Handshake Culture: Know Your Coworkers

A Novel Name: Becoming Sonoco and Entering the World Stage

World-Class Safety: Setting the Bar for Safety in Manufacturing

Suggestions System: Good Ideas from Anywhere

Mr. Mac: Larger Than Life

Bonded: Supporting the War Effort 

Today, we serve some of the world’s best-known brands in consumer, industrial and other markets. With over 4,000 patents to date, we continue our commitment to innovative, sustainable packaging. Guided by our culture of respect, teamwork, service, integrity and accountability, we continue our pursuit of Better Packaging. Better Life.® 125 years later and beyond.