• Installed #9 paper machine in Hartsville.

1952

• Acquire National Paper Company, Ltd. Los Angeles, CA, USA.
• Issued 100% stock dividend.
• Began tube manufacturing at new plant in Akron, IN, USA.

1955

• Started tube-manufacturing operations at Longview, TX, USA.
• Issued 10% stock dividend.

1957

• Acquired National Paper Company of Atlanta, GA, USA.

1958

• Started the #10 Fourdrinier paper machine for producing corrugating medium as a joint venture.

1959

• Issued 10% stock dividend.
• Started tube manufacturing operations in Fremont, CA, USA, later moved to Hayward, CA.

1960

• Sales were $28,200,000 and income was $2,460,000.
• Started operations at Richmond, VA, USA, after acquiring the machinery and inventories of the Dixie and Paper Tube Company.
• Purchased paper mill at Munroe Falls, OH, USA.
• Acquired paper mill from Newton Paper Company and began tube operations in Holyoke, MA, USA.

1961

• James Lide Coker, III died at age 56. His brother, Charles W. Coker, another grandson of Major Coker, was elected president.
• Started spiral tube operation at Ravenna, OH, USA.
• Acquired Industrial Steel and Fibre Limited, producers of tubes, cores, fibre drums and composite containers, located in Terrebonne, Quebec, and Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

1962

• Started tube operations at Tacoma, WA, USA.

1963

• Started spiral tube operations at Janesville, WS, USA.
• Purchased a paper machine at Rockton, IL, USA.
• Issued a 10% stock dividend.

1964

• Started tube operations in Louisiana, MO, USA.
• Started composite can operations in Orlando, FL, USA.
• Acquired a paper mill in Amsterdam, NY, USA.
• Began business relationship with Showa Products Company of Japan.

1965

• Started tube operations in Newport, TN, USA.
• Stock converted from $5 to $2.50 par value and split two-for-one.

1966

• Started composite can operations in Charleston, SC, USA.

1967

• Started composite can operations in Henderson, KY, USA.

1968

• Started tube operations in Canandaigua, NY, USA.
• Acquired properties and paper mill of Downingtown Paper Company, Downingtown, PA, USA.

1969

• Acquired assets of Deslauriers Column Mould Company, Inc, Chicago, IL, USA, which were later sold.
• Started plastic tube operations at Union, SC, USA.

1970

• Acquired lumber mill of Coxe Lumber Company, Inc, Darlington, SC, USA, and leased their timberlands.
• Merged Downingtown Paper Company into Sonoco Products Company.
• Started tube operations in Lincolnton, NC, USA.
• Charles W. Coker, Sr. was elected chairman and Charlie Coker, Jr. was elected president.
• Sales were $125,027,000 and income was $6,600,000.