DIMON Incorporated and Standard Commercial Corporation Announce Expiration of Hart-Scott-Rodino Waiting Period

DIMON Incorporated and Standard Commercial Corporation Announce
Expiration of Hart-Scott-Rodino Waiting Period 


DANVILLE, Va. and WILSON, N.C., Dec. 21  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Independent
leaf tobacco dealers DIMON Incorporated (NYSE:DMN) and Standard Commercial
Corporation (NYSE:STW) today jointly announced that, in connection with DIMON's
and Standard's previously announced agreement to merge, the waiting period
under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 has expired
without agency action.

The closing of the merger remains subject to financing considerations and
customary closing conditions, including approval by the shareholders of each of
DIMON and Standard and approval of certain non-U.S. antitrust authorities.

DIMON Incorporated is the world's second largest dealer of leaf tobacco with
operations in more than 30 countries. For more information on DIMON, visit the
company's website at http://www.dimon.com/.

Standard Commercial Corporation is the world's third largest dealer of leaf
tobacco with operations in more than 30 countries. For more information on
Standard Commercial, visit the company's website at http://www.sccgroup.com/.

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on
current expectations of future events. Such statements include, but are not
limited to, statements about conditions to the merger between DIMON and
Standard Commercial and other statements that are not historical facts. Such
statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of DIMON's and
Standard Commercial's management and are subject to significant risks and
uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or unknown risks or
uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from current
expectations and projections. The following factors, among others, could cause
actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking
statements:  changes in the markets for financing necessary to consummate the
merger, failure of either DIMON or Standard Commercial to satisfy conditions to
the merger provided in the merger agreement, and the timing and substance of
actions by non-U.S. antitrust authorities relating to the merger.

DIMON and Standard Commercial do not undertake any obligation to publicly
release the results of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking
statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or
circumstances after the date of such statements. Additional factors that could
cause DIMON's and Standard Commercial's results to differ materially from those
described in the forward-looking statements can be found in DIMON's and
Standard Commercial's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for each company's fiscal
year ended March 31, 2004, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") which are available at the SEC's Internet site
(http://www.sec.gov/ ).

DIMON and Standard Commercial will be filing a joint proxy statement/prospectus
and other relevant documents concerning the merger with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission. STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND OTHER RELEVANT
DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

Investors and security holders will be able to obtain a free copy of the proxy
statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about
DIMON and Standard Commercial without charge at the SEC's Internet site
(http://www.sec.gov/ ). Copies of the proxy statement/prospectus and the
filings with the SEC that will be incorporated by reference in the proxy
statement/prospectus can also be obtained, without charge, by directing a
request to DIMON Incorporated, 512 Bridge Street, Post Office Box 681,
Danville, Virginia 23543-0681, Attention: Investor Relations, [phone] or
to Standard Commercial Corporation, 2201 Miller Road, P.O. Box 450, Wilson,
North Carolina 27894-0450, Attention: Investor Relations, [phone].

The respective directors and executive officers of DIMON and Standard
Commercial and other persons may be deemed to be "participants" in the
solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed merger. Information
regarding DIMON's directors and executive officers is available in its proxy
statement filed with the SEC on July 13, 2004, and information regarding
Standard Commercial's directors and executive officers is available in its
proxy statement filed with the SEC on June 23, 2004. Other information
regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their
direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be
contained the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials to be
filed with the SEC when they become available. 

DATASOURCE: DIMON Incorporated



CONTACT:  Ritchie L. Bond of DIMON Incorporated, [phone]; or

Timothy S. Price of Standard Commercial Corporation, [phone]



Web site:  http://www.dimon.com/

http://www.sccgroup.com/ 

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