SONOCO-ALCORE ANNOUNCES COREBOARD AND CORE INCREASE IN EUROPE

Brussels, Belgium – Sonoco - Alcore will raise prices on coreboard and cores and tubes effective April 18, 2005, it was announced today by James Harrell, chief executive officer of Sonoco-Alcore.

Coreboard prices will increase between 40 and 60 Euro per ton based on grade. Core and tube prices will increase an average of 6 percent, with specific prices based on specification and type.

"Market conditions have not allowed us to recover growing costs for energy, transportation, packaging and chemicals. While we have diligently increased productivity improvements and implemented cost-cutting initiatives to help offset the deflationary price environment over the past three years, we cannot continue to absorb increasing cost pressure," said Harrell.

"We will continue to work with our customers to identify and implement additional productivity improvements to help offset rising costs," added Harrell.

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