• Acquired 50%+ interest in Bergan Built, Inc., Centralia, IL, USA, which was later sold.
• Acquired Richmond, CA, USA, paper mill from Western Kraft Corporation.
• Started composite can operations in Henderson, TN, USA.
• Started tube operations in Puerto Rico.

1972

• Entered wastepaper packing business by purchasing Paper Stock Dealers, Inc., and Gaston Paper Stock Co., Inc., Statesville, NC, USA.

1973

• Started tube operations in Elon College, NC; Pine Brook, NJ; Robesonia, PA; and Morganfield, KY, USA.
• Acquired Milton Steel & Supply Company and its subsidiary, Milton Machine Works, Inc., Milton, PA, USA, which were later sold.
• Began folding carton and fibre partitions operations at Marietta, GA, USA.
• Stock converted from $2.50 to $1.25 par value and split two-for-one.

1974

• Started composite can operations in Alpha, OH, USA.
• Started fibre partitions operations in Marion, IN, USA.
• Started tube operations in Shepherd, MI, USA, and Berthoud, CO, USA.
• Phillipsburg, PA, USA, plant closed.
• Operations in Richmond, VA, USA, moved to Chester, VA, USA.

1975

• Started composite can operations in Winterville, NC, USA.
• Started tube operations in Mt. Olive, NC, USA.
• Acquired the assets of Penland Containers, Hanover, PA, USA.
• Acquired the assets of Williams Trucking Service, Inc., Hartsville, SC, USA.

1976

• Charles W. Coker, Sr. retired with the title of honorary chairman, and president Charles. W. Coker, Jr. became Sonoco's chief executive officer.
• Started tube production operations in Boaz, AL, USA, and Portland OR, USA.
• Acquired assets of R.H. Sommer, Inc, Waukesha, WI, USA, a manufacturer of metal buildings, which were later sold.

1977

• Began tube production operations in Arlington, TX, USA.
• Issued 10% stock dividend.
• Acquired assets of Ontario Can Company, Ontario, CA, USA, which were later sold.
• Acquired all shares of T.P.T. Ltd., England.
• Acquired five composite can lines from American Can Company.
• Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, plant opened as part of the Sonoco Ltd. operation.

1978

• Started composite can operations in Naperville, IL, USA, and St. Louis, MO, USA.
• Established Sonoco Containers of Puerto Rico, Inc.

1979

• Sonoco purchased 49% interest in the Can Division of Domtar, Inc. of Canada.
• Relocated tube manufacturing operations from Holyoke, MA, USA, to Chicopee, MA, USA.
• Relocated tube production facility from Portland, OR, USA, to Vancouver, WA, USA.
• Issued 10% stock dividend.
• Started tube manufacturing operations in Fountain Inn, SC, USA; Boone, IA, USA; and Houston, TX, USA.
• Closed folding carton plant in Marietta, GA, USA, and sold folding carton plants in Richmond, VA, USA,
  and Downingtown, PA, USA.
• Purchased substantially all of T.P.T. Papierfabrik, Nordhorn, West Germany, and T.P.T. Nederland, Holland.

1980

• Acquired Baker Industries, Inc., a leading manufacturer of reels for the wire and cable industry, with headquarters in Hartselle, AL, USA.
• Began producing plastic grocery bags in Onset, MA, USA.
• Purchased Louisiana-Pacific paper mill of Sumner, WA, USA.
• Entered into long-term lease agreement with Loroco Industries, Inc. for use of Lancaster, OH, USA, paper mill.
• Sales were $490,397,000 and income was $32,511,000.
• Began adhesives production at Akron, IN, USA, plant.
• Began tube manufacturing at Medley, FL, USA, and East Camden, AK, USA. Closed Longview, TX, USA, tube plant.
• Began fibre partitions production in Tulsa, OK, USA.
• Began new division at T.P.T. in England to manufacture "Bag-in-Box" liquitainers.

1981

• Acquired the wire and cable reel manufacturing facilities of H & B Company, Granite Falls, NC, USA.
• Sold Ontario, CA, USA, can plant to Sunkist Growers, Inc.
• Purchased composite can plant from Owens-Illinois of Chattanooga, TN, USA.
• Stock converted from $1.25 par value to no par value and split two-for-one.
• Opened satellite tube manufacturing locations in Jacksonville, FL, USA, and Lewiston, ID, USA.
• Sonoco de Mexico added plant in Monterrey, Mexico.
• Purchased a controlling interest in a de-inked pulping operation in Ogdensburg, NY, USA.
• Purchased the assets of Kingtube Limited in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
• Broke into the Fortune 500 list of the top 500 public manufacturing companies in the United States at #457.

1982

• Opened new tube operations in Opp, AL, USA, and Pittsfield, ME, USA.
• Purchased Capseals, Ltd., of England.
• Purchased Linear Products of Puerto Rico, which was later sold.
• Acquired the Briggs-Shaffner, a major producer to textile beams, of Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
• Acquired Moser Box Partitions of Chicago, IL, USA.
• Purchased most of the composite can division of Container Corporation of America.
• Shutdown of the #8 Fourdrinier machine in Hartsville.

1983

• Opened a new tube production plant in West Chicago, IL, USA.
• Closed the de-inking operation at Ogdensburg, NY, USA.
• Sonoco Limited purchased Federal Packaging and Partition Co.,, Ltd. of Canada.
• Purchased Robinson Hardwood Corporation to produce furniture squares.
• Opened second plastic bag production facility in Santa Maria, CA, USA.

1984

• Three new tube manufacturing operations added at Menasha, WI, USA; Cincinnati, OH, USA; and Clifton Forge, VA, USA. Closed the Mt. Olive, NC, USA, tube plant and the cone production operation in Bolton, GA, USA.
• Entered into contract with Georgia-Pacific for joint operation of #10 corrugating medium machine in Hartsville.
• Closed Richmond, CA, USA, paper mill.
• Began producing plastic motor oil bottles.

1985

• Acquired Continental Fibre Drum, Stamford, CT, USA., the leading U.S. producer of fibre drums.
• Sold Sonoco Buildings Division.
• Acquired a small paper mill and Fibro Tambor, S.A. de C.V., a fibre drum business, in Mexico.
• Began plastic bag production in Mt. Olive, NC, USA.
• Sonoco stock split two-for-one.

1986

• Acquired Ka-Ro Werke, West Germany, and American Ka-Ro, Greenville, SC, USA, producers of plastic tubes and cones.
• Purchased Plasti-Drum, Inc., with headquarters in Lockport, IL, USA.
• Purchased Mako, B.V., a fibre tube and drum operation in Masstricht, Holland.

1987

• Sonoco stock split two-for-one.
• Plastic grocery bag operations began at North Vernon, IN, USA.
• Acquired the Consumer Packaging Division of Boise Cascade, the nation's largest producer of composite cans.

1988

• Purchased the tube and core operations of Pak Pacific Corporation, Pty., Ltd. of Australia.
• Purchased paperboard mill from Federal Paper Board, Co., Inc., Richmond, VA, USA.
• Purchased Gunther, S.A., in France, and its subsidiaries, manufacturers of paperboard, tubes, cores, cones and protective packaging.
• Completed construction of the Packaging Development Center in Hartsville.
• Announced start-up of a new plastic grocery bag operation in Telford, England.

1989

• Acquired Hilex Poly Co., Inc., a plastic bag and sack producer, based in Los Angeles, CA, USA.
• Merged Sonoco's Petroleum Products Division with Graham Container Corp., York, PA, USA, to form Sonoco Graham Company.
• Started tube production operations in Lauda, Germany.
• Acquired the Udo Fischer Company, Maulburg, Germany, a manufacturer of coreboard and tubes.
• Established Sonoco Taiwan Ltd., headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, and opened a new plant in Taiwan.
• Increased authorized common shares to 150,000,000.
• Purchased the Newnan, GA, USA, plastic drum operations of Container Products, Inc.
• Began construction on a new spiral tube manufacturing facility in Hartsville.
• Announced plans to construct a production facility in Lavonia, GA, USA, to produce intermediate bulk containers.
• Announced joint venture with CMB Packaging, to produce and market composite cans throughout Europe.
• Began production of plastic grocery bags in Milesburg, PA, USA.
• Announced new composite can plant to be located in Suffolk, VA, USA.
• Purchased Mygind International, a producer of plastic carry-out bags and produce bags, Roskilde, Denmark.
• Purchased Unit Group plc, a manufacturer of reels in England.

1990

• Net sales were $1.7 billion and net income was $50 million; that included $55 million after tax restructuring charge.
• Personal injury rate improved to 1.96.
• Purchased the French tube maker Lhomme S.A. to become largest tube supplier Europe.
• Charlie Coker moved to the position of chairman, remaining as chief executive officer.
• Russell C. King, Jr., became president and chief operating officer.
• Purchased the plastic caulk cartridge manufacturing operations of Voplex Corporation.
• Pioneered programs for recycling plastic grocery bags.
• Began production of intermediate bulk containers at a new plant in Lavonia, GA, USA.