7th Annual Sonoco Reverse Trade Show

HARTSVILLE, S.C., May 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Sonoco (NYSE: SON) and JBE, Inc. will co-sponsor their Seventh Annual Supplier Diversity Reverse Trade Show on Wednesday, May 11, 2011, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SiMT) in Florence, S.C. Proceeds will benefit the Midlands Regional Advisory Council of the Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Council.

Focused on promoting supplier diversity, the event is comprised of a business meeting featuring speakers from Coca-Cola and McDonald's, as well as a reverse trade show with key Sonoco suppliers, designed to facilitate business relations with minority- and women-owned businesses.  During the trade show, representatives from minority- and women-owned businesses from throughout the Carolinas and surrounding states will have the opportunity to move from table to table introducing themselves, businesses' products and services, and exploring potential opportunities with key suppliers.

"At Sonoco we believe diversity is smart business; the variety of thought, energy and insight provided by a diverse supplier base gives us an advantage in today's global economy," said Marc Ensign, director of services/outsourcing and supplier diversity at Sonoco. "We are committed to developing partnerships with qualified diverse suppliers, and co-sponsorship of the reverse trade show with JBE allows both Sonoco and our suppliers to network with minority- and women-owned businesses, making us stronger and more competitive."

"For the past seven years JBE has been very pleased to share in the Reverse Trade Show with Sonoco," said Jerry B. Ellison, chief executive officer, JBE, Inc.  "Over the years, a number of companies have benefitted from working with large corporations as a result of this trade show.  I applaud the attitude Sonoco and its people have taken in pioneering these initiatives in the Pee Dee region.  I would also urge any diverse company, no matter how small or large, to come and investigate the opportunities that this trade show presents."

WHO: Sonoco and JBE, Inc.

WHAT: Supplier Diversity Reverse Trade Show

WHERE: SiMT

WHEN: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Wednesday, May 11, 2011

CONTACT: Marc Ensign, Sonoco, Services/ Outsourcing and Supplier Diversity, 843/383-7168

About Sonoco

Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a $4.1 billion global manufacturer of industrial and consumer products and provider of packaging services, with more than 300 operations in 35 countries, serving customers in some 85 nations. Sonoco is a proud member of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. For more information on the Company, visit our Web site at http://www.sonoco.com/.

About JBE Inc.

JBE Incorporated (JBE Inc.) is a world class provider of complex and highly technical sub-assemblies and final assembly manufacturing solutions and global supply chain management solutions. JBE Inc. proudly holds the following certifications: ISO/TS 16949:2009; Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ); Carolinas MSDC, SBA-8a, SCDOT, Hub-Zone and AS9100. For more information on JBE, visit www.jbeinc.net.

About Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Council

Carolinas MSDC is a private, non-profit membership organization of major corporations, financial institutions, government agencies and universities that operate within North or South Carolina. The Council works to expand business opportunities for minority-owned companies in an effort to build a stronger, more equitable society by supporting and promoting minority business development. Carolinas MSDC has over 175 corporate members and approximately 425 certified minority businesses. For more information on the Council, visit http://carolinasmsdc.org/.

SOURCE Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Council