Sonoco Products Company has unified its metal packaging and rigid paper containers units into a single consumer packaging framework, organised geographically.
The new structure consists of two divisions: Consumer Packaging EMEA/APAC and Consumer Packaging Americas.
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Seán Cairns has been appointed president, Consumer Packaging of EMEA/APAC (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa/Asia-Pacific).
Ernest Haynes will serve as president of Consumer Packaging Americas.
Both will report directly to Sonoco’s president and CEO, Howard Coker.
Cairns joined Sonoco in 2008 and previousy held the position of president for global rigid paper containers, managing operations across the Americas, Europe and Asia.
He brings more than three decades of experience in the packaging sector, including 13 years with Crown’s Metal Packaging EMEA division.
Haynes, who previously led Sonoco Metal Packaging North America – a unit established following Sonoco’s 2022 acquisition of Ball Metalpack – has been with the company since 1997.
During this time, he has held multiple leadership roles across both the consumer and industrial segments.
Rodger Fuller will continue in his position as chief operating officer and step back from his interim role as CEO of Metal Packaging EMEA.
He will assist with the leadership transition and remain involved with key customer relationships during the integration process.
The transition of Sonoco’s consumer packaging segment will be finalised in the first quarter of 2026.
The company’s industrial paper packaging business, led by James Harrell, will not be impacted by the restructuring.
Coker stated: “Our consumer packaging segment will be one can business representing steel, aluminium and paper cans, closures and components.
“This new structure will create a much simpler and more efficient operating model that will also allow our teams to be agnostic about the substrates we offer to our customers. I truly believe this integrated structure – driven geographically – will lead to further innovation, collaboration and growth opportunities.”
Established in 1899, Sonoco employs 22,500 people and operates 270 facilities across 40 countries.
The company recently sold its ThermoSafe business unit to Arsenal Capital Partners for $725m.
