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• Alliance One International Announces Completion of Merger of DIMON Incorporated and Standard Commercial Corporation 

Alliance One International, Inc. (NYSE: AOI), announced today completion of the merger of DIMON Incorporated and Standard Commercial Corporation. The merger, originally announced November 8, 2004, creates a leading global independent leaf tobacco merchant with broad geographic processing capabilities, a diversified product offering and an established customer base, including all of the world's major consumer tobacco products companies. As a result of the merger, Alliance One is one of only two global independent leaf tobacco merchants, each with substantially similar global market shares.

Brian J. Harker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "With Alliance One we are creating a strategic profile that will be fully in step with the evolution of our industry and our customers' needs. Alliance One will emphasize value-added services, industry-leading tobacco processing capabilities, information technology advancements, new product development and global agronomic programs. We will now have the scale that will better position us to partner with all our customers in a true supply chain alliance."

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• DIMON Incorporated and Standard Commercial Corporation Finalize Proxy and Announce Dates of Special Meetings to Approve Merger 

Independent leaf tobacco dealers DIMON Incorporated (NYSE: DMN) and Standard Commercial Corporation (NYSE: STW) today jointly announced that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has declared effective a registration statement on Form S-4 containing the proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposal to merge the two companies. Each of DIMON and Standard expects to begin mailing the proxy statement/prospectus to its shareholders today, Friday, March 4, 2005. Each of DIMON's and Standard's special meeting of shareholders will be held on Friday, April 1, 2005, at 3:30 pm EST, with shareholders of record at the close of business on February 10, 2005, entitled to vote at each meeting.

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• Dimon to Acquire Standard Commercial for $670 Million in Stock 

Dimon Inc. (DMN), the No. 2 tobacco dealer, plans to acquire the world's third-largest processor, Standard Commercial Corp. (STW), in a stock transaction the companies value at about $670 million.

Dimon, Danville, Va., said Monday that it expects the resulting cost savings to boost earnings after their first full year together. The company named its current Chief Executive and Chairman Brian Harker to tackle the same roles in the combined company, to be called DimonStandard Inc.

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