Sonoco consolidates its carton and metal activities in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific

Packaging Solutions

Sonoco has announced that it is bringing together its metal packaging and rigid paper container businesses across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific into one unified Sonoco Consumer Packaging EMEA/APAC division. This evolution strengthens its ability to support FMCG brands with a broader portfolio, faster access to solutions and a more seamless customer experience across markets. With this move, the company becomes a global packaging partner offering both rigid paper container and metal packaging solutions under one organisation, giving brands a single source for future ready consumer packaging across materials.

The unified business will offer one point of access to Sonoco’s full consumer packaging expertise, covering metal (food cans and ends, closures, aerosol cans, promotional packaging) and paper based solutions. This approach enables more consistent support for regional and global brands, a deeper understanding of customer needs across categories, and fit for purpose guidance without material bias.

By aligning capabilities, Sonoco will provide enhanced service, greater efficiency and a more holistic approach to helping customers bring responsible and high performing packaging to market.

Howard Coker, president and CEO, commented: ‘Bringing our consumer packaging capabilities together marks an important step forward in how we serve our customers. By uniting two high performing packaging platforms, we are strengthening our ability to deliver relevant, responsible and innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of FMCG brands. Guided by our purpose of ‘Better Packaging. Better Life.’, this evolution reinforces our commitment to customers, communities and the planet.’

As part of this evolution, Seàn Cairns has been appointed president of Sonoco Consumer Packaging EMEA/APAC. Seàn brings more than 30 years of experience in metal and paper packaging, including 17 years with the company. He has held multiple leadership roles, most recently serving as president of Rigid Paper Containers since 2022, and previously as vice president and managing director for RPC Europe, where he drove significant growth and played a key role in pioneering innovations such as all-paper cans and paper bottom end technology. Seàn began his career with Crown Metal Packaging EMEA (later Eviosys), progressing from factory management roles to business unit leadership positions. 

Seàn Cairns said, ‘I am honoured to take on this role at such a pivotal moment for Sonoco. Uniting our metal and rigid paper packaging businesses creates a stronger platform to support our customers with more agility, more solutions and more forward thinking innovation. As the only global supplier offering both rigid paper and metal packaging, we are uniquely positioned to recommend the right solution for each product and market – helping our customers grow, so that we grow with them.’

By aligning its consumer packaging capabilities under one organisation, Sonoco Consumer Packaging brings together some of the strongest sustainability credentials in the industry within a single, customer focused business.

The unified business brings together approximately 8250 employees across 65 plants in 20 countries throughout EMEA and APAC, ensuring production close to customers wherever they operate.