The history of cardboard. 2,000 years, from Cai Lun scroll boxes to corrugated cardboard as an alternative for packaging, cheaper and recyclable.
HISTORY OF CORRUGATED CARDBOARD
The vast majority of historians agree that cardboard was invented in China in the first century C.E. and evolved to the corrugated cardboard we know today, at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Let's see how this evolution has been, from a simple box to keep scrolls, to the current personalized packaging projects.
1st centuryWho invented cardboard?
Historians say that the first to make cardboard was Cai Lun, an eunuch and imperial advisor to Emperor He of Han, in China at the end of the first century C.E.
Who invented cardboard?
Although there were already more primitive types of paper, Cai Lun proceeded to perfect the processing technique by waterproofing glues based on starch, rice and Tororo Aoi juice (species of hibiscus) so that the leaves would be well satin and protected from mold and parasites. The bases were being laid for the development of a lighter material, easy to store and transport than existing wooden tablets or silk fabrics.
Paper, as well as its derivatives, including cardboard, was invented in China thousands of years ago; however, the first record of cardboard boxes held in China is from the 16th century.
According to Ohio State University, England produced the first commercial cardboard box in 1817. According to the same sources, in 1856 corrugated or pleated paper was patented as a covering for tall hats in London. Later, in the mid-19th century, the textile industry improved the corrugated boxes by developing the internal undulating.
By the end of the century, already in the United States, Andrew Dennison and his son joined together their wits and efforts to create a device with which they automated the lateral cutting of cardboard sheets.
1874Who invented corrugated cardboard?
In 1874 Oliver Long evolved the cardboard, improving its strength, adding a smooth blade (simple face) that helped strengthen the wave leaf (medium) and soon afterwards a blade as second face.
Who invented corrugated cardboard?
The beginnings of corrugated cardboard or corrugated paper, as packaging material, were not complete by a small detail:
The paper is not rigid enough to maintain its shape!
The first cardboard boxes were not very strong and deteriorated during transport and storage, as they were made from a single layer of corrugated paper or fluting. In 1874, Oliver Long developed the cardboard further, improving its strength by adding a flat sheet (single face) to reinforce the fluted sheet (medium), and shortly afterwards another sheet as a second face. Oliver Long registered his cardboard patent in the United States on 5 May 1874 as corrugated cardboard.
Within a short period of time numerous patents were filed, and these were acquired by three manufacturers:
- 1) Robert H. Thompson
- (2) Henry D. Norris (Robert and Henry associates formed Thompson & Norris)
- 3) Robert Gair (founder of Robert Gair Co.)
These two companies operating in the areas of New York and Boston at the end of the 19th century enjoyed a monopoly position thanks to their patents for more than 20 years.
The Scottish Robert Gair invented the pre-cut cardboard box in 1890 – flat pieces made in large quantities that became boxes. Robert Gair is considered the father of folded cardboard and was one of the pioneers of the corrugated cardboard industry.
It gained recognition thanks to the development of the standard box style with cleft and glued flap, the current system of manufacturing cardboard boxes, the cardboard box most used in history and even today, the so-called American box.
1883The first cardboard boxes
The early days of the corrugated cardboard industry featured pioneers whose manufacturing processes were manual.
The first cardboard boxes
The early days of the corrugated cardboard industry featured pioneers whose manufacturing processes were manual. All tools, including machinery, were handmade while dreaming of faster production methods.
The early days of the corrugated cardboard industry featured pioneers whose manufacturing processes were manual. All tools, including machinery, were handmade while dreaming of faster production methods.
In early 1883, Colonel Andrew Dennison used a shoemaker's bank in Brunswick, Maine, to manufacture jewelry boxes as a complement and protection to jewelry and watches sold at his son's small shop in Boston.
In 1884, father and son combined their wits and efforts by creating a device called half machine with which they automated the lateral cutting of cardboard sheets. The sheets were cut to size and placed on the slitting machine and cut a corner each time by pressing down.
This invention was known as the Dennison Cutter-Hanger.
In 1885 a hand scissors was developed as an improvement on the shoemaker's knife to cut the boxes. The shear soon became the main tool in the production of cardboard boxes. Before the powerful cutters abounded, a simple box plant could have a battery of at least eight or ten shears, all operating at the same time.
100 years of manufacturing corrugated cardboard boxes back us up. Our technical team can advise you on any doubts that arise when designing the corrugated cardboard box suitable for your product.
Areas we serve
From our factory in Terrassa, we distribute corrugated cardboard throughout Spain, with a strong presence in all four provinces of Catalonia. We have also established ourselves as corrugated cardboard suppliers in Menorca and Ibiza, offering fast deliveries at manufacturer prices. We have expanded our presence in European and American markets, ensuring that our corrugated cardboard packaging meets the highest international quality standards.
We strive to offer a personalized service to our customers, working closely with them to design and manufacture corrugated cardboard boxes that fit perfectly to your specific needs.
Solar Energy: Our Additional Commitment
In addition to our sustainable manufacturing of corrugated cardboard boxes, we have taken an additional step towards sustainability by installing solar panels on our roofs. This initiative allows us to generate the energy we use in our operations, further reducing our carbon footprint.