Clear your mind, forget all you ever thought you knew about cardboard boxes.

Are they a relatively modern invention? No, actually it has been with us for a long time, since 1890 when Robert Gair first mass produced cardboard boxes, although “Paperboard” (Folded pieces of paper to make a box) boxes have been with us since 1817.

Corrugated cardboard was first produced in 1856, and it was then some years until 1895 when the first corrugated box was mass produced. Then within a few short years by the early 1900’s the majority of wooden cases were being replaced with cardboard boxes.

However for many years all they were used for was shipping goods or parcels. Indeed the pioneers of corrugated cardboard would probably marvel at what has become of their humble brown box today.

In recent years there has been huge pressure on companies to “Go green” and reduce the amount of plastic packaging that they are using. As the majority of plastic is not biodegradable, and will sit in a landfill site for several thousands years before it deteriorates.

This has resulted in many packaging companies looking at alternative materials.

One result of this since the late 70’s and early 80’s, has been the development of cardboard packaging. This has meant that many packaging companies have been looking at how they can use innovative cardboard box solutions to replace plastic packaging, as cardboard is biodegradable.

The inventors of the cardboard box would now be stunned to know that it can now be made waterproof, and that it now replaces many of the drinks containers such as milk, that would have been made of glass in their era.

Indeed they would be amazed to see modern boxes being used to transport hot food such as pizzas.

The uses of the modern box are virtually endless, with new variations and ideas being brought out every year. Cardboard is being used wherever possible to replace plastic packaging.

Yet the concepts used in the production of die cut cardboard boxes can be traced back to one of the earliest uses of cardboard boxes, which was cereal boxes, first produced in America and still in use today, in virtually the same format.

They are now in use for shipping goods in virtually every industry on the planet, from shipping books to multi-million pound electronic assemblies. The box still provides one of the most effective forms of protection, despite being low cost.