Sonoco Products Company is bringing its Global Consumer Packaging businesses under a single leadership structure, placing Ernest Haynes in charge of a business generating approximately $5.2 billion in annual sales.

Haynes has been appointed President, Global Consumer Packaging and will report directly to Sonoco President and CEO Howard Coker.

The restructuring brings Sonoco’s consumer packaging activities across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific into a more integrated operating model covering its metal and paper packaging businesses.

$5.2 Billion Packaging Business Moves Under One Structure

Under the new organization, Haynes will oversee Sonoco’s largest global business.

The Global Consumer Packaging segment comprises:

• Approximately $5.2 billion in annual sales
• 98 operations
• 25 countries
• Around 11,250 employees

The business supplies consumer brands with packaging including metal and paper cans, closures and related components.

For Sonoco, the organizational change is intended to improve coordination between regions and allow the company to make greater use of its manufacturing capabilities, technology, supply chain and research and development resources across international markets.

Coker said the company is aligning its consumer packaging operations more closely around products, customers and employees.

Sonoco Targets Greater Collaboration Across Regions

The restructuring is more than a change in reporting lines.

Bringing previously regional consumer packaging activities under one global leader is intended to simplify Sonoco’s operating model and improve collaboration between businesses serving different markets.

Haynes said the structure should help teams work more closely on manufacturing, innovation, quality and technical service.

For large packaging groups operating across multiple regions, integration can be particularly important when global customers require comparable packaging specifications, quality standards and technical support across different production locations.

A common leadership structure can also provide opportunities to coordinate investment, purchasing, product development and manufacturing practices across the network.

Paper and Metal Packaging Remain Central to Consumer Business

Sonoco’s consumer packaging portfolio gives the company significant positions in both metal and fibre-based packaging.

Paper cans and rigid paper containers remain particularly relevant to the paper packaging sector, while the company’s metal packaging operations expanded significantly following its acquisition of Ball Metalpack in 2022.

Haynes said he plans to focus on further growth across Sonoco’s metal and paper can businesses.

The combination of these packaging formats under one global structure gives Sonoco the ability to work across different material platforms as consumer brands evaluate packaging performance, cost, supply security and sustainability requirements.

Ernest Haynes Brings Nearly 30 Years at Sonoco

Haynes joined Sonoco in 1997 and has held operating and commercial leadership positions across both its Consumer and Industrial businesses.

Before taking responsibility for Global Consumer Packaging, he served as President of Consumer, Americas.

He previously led Metal Packaging North America following the Ball Metalpack acquisition.

From 2018 to 2021, Haynes served as Division Vice President and General Manager of Rigid Paper Containers, North America.

Earlier in his career, he was Division Vice President of Operations for Tubes and Cores, U.S./Canada, giving him experience across both consumer and industrial paper packaging operations.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Clemson University and is a graduate of the Wharton School’s Executive General Management Program.

Industrial Paper Packaging Leadership Remains Unchanged

Sonoco’s organizational changes do not alter the leadership of its Industrial Paper Packaging segment.

That business will continue to be led by James Harrell, President.

The company also announced that Sean Cairns, President of Sonoco EMEA/APAC, is leaving after 17 years with Sonoco and approximately 30 years in the packaging industry.

Coker thanked Cairns for his contribution and leadership during his time with the company.

Sonoco Operates 263 Sites Worldwide

Founded in 1899 and headquartered in Hartsville, South Carolina, Sonoco operates across both consumer and industrial packaging markets.

The company reported $7.5 billion in net sales from continuing operations in 2025.

Across the wider group, Sonoco has approximately:

• 22,000 employees
• 263 operations
• Operations in 37 countries

The Global Consumer Packaging business therefore represents a substantial proportion of Sonoco’s overall operations, accounting for roughly $5.2 billion in annual sales and more than half of the company’s workforce.

Global Packaging Groups Seek More Integrated Operations

Sonoco’s restructuring reflects the complexity of serving multinational consumer brands across different packaging materials and geographic markets.

Global packaging companies must coordinate manufacturing capacity, raw materials, technical standards, product development and customer requirements while responding to changing packaging regulations in individual regions.

Integrating regional businesses can provide a more consistent approach to those challenges, although the practical benefits will depend on how effectively manufacturing and commercial teams collaborate across the expanded organization.

For Sonoco, the immediate objective is to use the new structure to improve operating efficiency while supporting growth in its established metal and paper packaging businesses.

Industry Outlook

The appointment of Ernest Haynes marks a significant organizational change for Sonoco because it places a $5.2 billion global consumer packaging operation spanning 98 sites in 25 countries under one leadership structure.

For the paper packaging industry, Haynes’ previous experience leading Sonoco’s rigid paper container and tubes and cores businesses also gives the new global consumer packaging president a substantial background in fibre-based packaging.

The next indication of the restructuring’s impact will come from how Sonoco translates the new organization into manufacturing efficiencies, product development and growth across its global metal and paper packaging portfolio.

Last Updated on 12/08/2026 by Jota Machinery