Cardboard (called corrugated paper in the industry ) is a heavy wood-based type of paper.  It was first invented in China in the 15th Century. One of its most common uses is as a packaging material.

1817 The 1st commercial paper board (not corrugated) box in England was manufactured by Sir Malcolm Thornhill

1840 There are notes in the history archives of France showing that cardboard boxes were used for transporting the Bombyx mori moth and its eggs from Japan to Europe by silk manufacturers

1856 Two Englishmen, Edward C. Healy and Edward E. Allen, patented corrugated paper (also known as pleated paper) which was used as a hat lining. It was made on a hand-cranked adaptation of a collar press. The product that resulted was stronger than the previously used cylinder of paper and its fluting provided cushioning in the sweat band

1871 Albert L. Jones of New York City patented single sided (faced) corrugated board which was used for wrapping bottles and glass lanterns

1874 The 1st machine for producing large quantities of single sided (faced) corrugated board was built by G. Smyth

1874 Oliver Long invented corrugated cardboard with paper liner sheets on both sides of the fluting known as single wall board

1875 Henri Norris began producing double wall sheet comprising of 2 flute layers sandwiched between 3 sheets of paper

1883 The 1st European corrugated cardboard factory opened in London

1890 Robert Gair of Edinburgh, Scotland working in Brooklyn, America accidentally invented pre-cut paperboard boxes. These comprised of flat pieces of board that folded into boxes

1895 Robert Gair had by now founded Robert Gair Co and manufactured the 1st corrugated box

1908 By know the terms "corrugated paper-board" and "corrugated cardboard" were both in use in the paper trade

1914 Corrugated boxes were being used as a shipping container replacing expensive wood containers

1968 Stanley W. Urwin founded Kirkham Box Co and manufactured cardboard boxes mainly in solid board but later introduced corrugated material

1998 Mark A. Urwin, son of Stanley W. Urwin took over the company and moved to the current premises and is manufacturing paper board and corruguted board boxes to this day