COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 2653

Corrugated and Solid Fiber Boxes

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

16companies1899–1986founding years16still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedSonoco Products CompanyFoundedSonoco Products Company
1899
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedKruger Inc.FoundedKruger Inc.
1921
FoundedInland Container CorporationFoundedInland Container Corporation
1925
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedThe Mead CorporationFoundedThe Mead Corporation
1930
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedTenneco Inc.FoundedTenneco Inc.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedSierra Pacific IndustriesFoundedSierra Pacific Industries
1951
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedSmurfit-Stone Container CorporationFoundedSmurfit-Stone Container Corporation
1983
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedGaylord Container CorporationFoundedGaylord Container Corporation
1986
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Sonoco Products Company →
Active · founded 1899
Sonoco Products Co.
Sonoco Products Company →
Active · founded 1899
Sonoco Products Co.
Kruger Inc. →
Active · founded 1921 · Canada
A leading manufacturer of recycled newsprint and other paper products, Kruger Inc.
Kruger Inc. →
Active · founded 1921 · Canada
A leading manufacturer of recycled newsprint and other paper products, Kruger Inc.
Inland Container Corporation →
Active · founded 1925
Inland Container Corporation, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is one of the United States' largest producers of…
Inland Container Corporation →
Active · founded 1925
Inland Container Corporation, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is one of the United States' largest producers of…
The Mead Corporation →
Active · founded 1930
The Mead Corporation is one of the world's largest manufacturers of paper (producing more than 1.7 million tons each…
The Mead Corporation →
Active · founded 1930
The Mead Corporation is one of the world's largest manufacturers of paper (producing more than 1.7 million tons each…
Tenneco Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
Tenneco Inc.
Tenneco Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
Tenneco Inc.
Sierra Pacific Industries →
Active · founded 1951
The largest timber company in California, Sierra Pacific Industries harvests and mills timber in northern California.
Sierra Pacific Industries →
Active · founded 1951
The largest timber company in California, Sierra Pacific Industries harvests and mills timber in northern California.
Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation →
Active · founded 1983
Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of paperboard and paper-based packaging…
Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation →
Active · founded 1983
Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of paperboard and paper-based packaging…
Gaylord Container Corporation →
Active · founded 1986
Gaylord Container Corporation is a major national manufacturer and distributor of corrugated containers,…
Gaylord Container Corporation →
Active · founded 1986
Gaylord Container Corporation is a major national manufacturer and distributor of corrugated containers,…
Build It Today

Starting a corrugated and solid fiber boxes company now

Each week we rebuild one of these stories for today's tools and capital.