Shareholders of Dimon Incorporated and Standard Commercial Corporation Approve Merger

Shareholders of Dimon Incorporated and Standard Commercial
Corporation Approve Merger 


DANVILLE, Va. and WILSON, N.C., April 1  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Independent
leaf tobacco merchants DIMON Incorporated (NYSE:DMN) and Standard Commercial
Corporation (NYSE:STW) are pleased to announce that, at separate special
meetings held today, their respective shareholders approved the merger of the
two companies.

More than 35 million of DIMON's outstanding shares were voted, with
approximately 77% of total shares outstanding voted in favor of the merger
proposal.  More than 10 million of Standard's outstanding shares were voted,
with approximately 74% of total shares outstanding voted in favor of the merger
proposal.

The companies expect to complete the merger during April 2005.  The closing of
the merger remains subject to financing considerations and other customary
closing conditions.  The companies have made all appropriate pre- closing U.S.
and foreign antitrust filings and have obtained all U.S. and foreign antitrust
approvals required to be obtained in advance of closing.

The combined company will be named Alliance One International, Inc. Alliance
One's common stock is expected to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol "AOI" upon closing of the merger.

DIMON Incorporated is the world's second largest independent leaf tobacco
merchant, 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 independent leaf
tobacco merchant, 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 and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements
are based on the current beliefs and expectations of DIMON's and Standard'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 and failure of either
DIMON or Standard to satisfy conditions to the merger provided in the merger
agreement.

DIMON and Standard 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's 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 have filed a joint proxy statement/prospectus and
other relevant documents concerning the merger with the SEC.  STOCKHOLDERS ARE
URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION
AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT
INFORMATION.

Investors and security holders can obtain a free copy of the proxy
statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about
DIMON and Standard 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 are 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, is contained
the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials filed with the SEC.


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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