FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Fred Janz
Portola Packaging, Inc.
724-658-9019 phone
724-657-8597 fax
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San Jose, CA - July 23, 2003 - Portola Packaging Inc. announced today that it is consolidating a number of its manufacturing facilities. The consolidations will be completed by March 2004. The move affects its Sumter, SC, Chino and San Jose, CA plants.

Production will be consolidated in Portola's Kingsport, Tennessee plant and a new facility in Phoenix, Arizona. Both plants will be world-class facilities, which will allow Portola to bring innovative new products to the market at competitive costs.

Operations in Sumter, Chino and San Jose will begin winding down in September. All employees are being offered an opportunity to relocate to the new facilities and Portola will provide assistance to offset the cost of relocating. Fred Janz, President of the Americas for Portola, stated that retention of Portola's highly skilled workers is critical to long term success and that the company is very pleased with the number of employees who have expressed a desire to relocate. Out placement services will be offered to those employees that cannot move.

"Portola is known for high quality, on time deliveries and service. The consolidations will strengthen our capabilities in these areas," said Janz. Once the moves are complete, Portola will have four manufacturing sites in the United States: Phoenix, AZ; Kingsport, TN; Batavia, IL; and Clifton Park, NY.

About Portola
Portola Packaging, Inc. is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of tamper evident plastic closures used in dairy, fruit juice, bottled water, sports drinks, institutional food products and other non-carbonated beverage products. The Company also produces a wide variety of plastic bottles for use in the dairy, water and juice industries, including five-gallon polycarbonate water bottles. In addition, the Company designs, manufactures and markets capping equipment for use in high speed bottling, filling and packaging production lines as well as manufactures and markets customized five-gallon water capping and filling systems. The Company is also engaged in the manufacture and sale of tooling and molds used in the blow molding industry. For more information about Portola Packaging, visit the Company's website at www.portpack.com.