Hartsville, South Carolina, USA, 18 July 2007 - The board of directors of Sonoco (NYSE:SON) today declared a regular quarterly dividend of USD 0.26 per common share. This 329th consecutive quarterly dividend will be payable 10 September 2007, to shareholders of record as of 17 August 2007.

About Sonoco

Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a USD 3.7 billion global manufacturer of industrial and consumer products and provider of packaging services, with approximately 330 operations in 35 countries, serving customers in some 85 nations. For more information on the company, visit http://www.sonoco.com/.