PCA acquires Elwood Packaging, a specialty sheet plant in Chicago. The acquisition strengthens PCA’s position in the Chicago market as a premier value-added provider.

PCA's market presence in southern Florida is expanded and strengthened by the establishment of a sheet plant in Miami Gardens, FL.

PCA acquires Midland Container Corporation, adding a full line corrugated plant in Jackson, Mississippi and a graphics packaging and display manufacturing facility in Olive Branch, Mississippi to its packaging network.

Acorn Corrugated Box Company, located in Bedford Park, Illinois, is acquired by PCA, strengthening the company's presence in the retail packaging industry and the Chicago market.

Three new locations are acquired and added to the PCA network: Donna, Texas; Fairfield, Ohio; and Franklin, Wisconsin.

2002

PCA opens a Training Center in Winterhaven, Florida adjacent to PCA's manufacturing operation in the same location.

Where we've been...what we've done...how far we've come.

Acquires Sunbelt Packaging Service Inc., a corrugated box manufacturer in Tucson, Arizona with a distribution and service center in Nogales, Mexico.

PCA becomes a publicly traded company on the NYSE and is traded under the ticker symbol "PKG".

Pactiv Corporation, formerly known as Tenneco Packaging Inc. sells its containerboard and corrugated packaging business to PCA, an entity formed by Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC, a Chicago-based private equity investment firm. The new stand-alone entity is called Packaging Corporation of America (PCA).

Acquires a wax-cascading facility from Union Camp Corporation (Eaton Park, FL).

Receives "America's Best Plants" award at the Counce, TN paper mill, making it the first paper mill to earn this distinction from Industry Week magazine. Acquires a specialty sheet plant in Allentown, PA.

PCA changes its name to Tenneco Packaging. Acquires corrugated packaging operations with expertise in enhanced graphics and other value added specialties: Lux Packaging (Waco, TX), DeLine Box & Display (Windsor, CO), The United Group (South Gate, CA). Acquires three corrugated packaging "sheet plant" operations specializing in quick turnarounds, short runs, and specialized products for regional customers: Sun King Container (El Paso, TX), Mid Michigan Container (Edmore, MI), and a unit of Domtar, Inc. (Watertown, NY).

PCA establishes an industry benchmark for quality by becoming the first U.S. containerboard company to earn ISO certification for all its linerboard and semi-chemical medium mills.

The largest transaction in PCA's history is completed: the acquisition from Georgia-Pacific of two containerboard mills, 19 corrugated container plants, and cutting rights to approximately 650,000 acres of timberlands. Acquires the Ellington Recycling Center (a multi-material recycler of waste paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum products located in Jackson, TN) which serves as an important source of secondary fiber for the Counce, TN linerboard mill.

Acquires Hanover Container, a manufacturer of corrugated products. Acquires Deseret Container (Salt Lake City Specialty), a corrugated sheet plant and established supplier of low-volume, fast-turnaround orders. Acquires Produce and Poultry Container Corporation, a producer of wax-cascaded boxes, later merged into Harrisonburg Container. Acquires six facilities from Dixie Container Corporation, the largest independent corrugated company in the Southeast and producer of 100% recycled corrugating medium.

Acquires 100% of Tennessee River Pulp & Paper Company (Counce, TN mill)

PCA is acquired by Tenneco.

Central Fiber Products Company is formed through the consolidation of North Star Mill, North Star Egg Case Company, Carey Straw Mill, H.T. Cherry Company, and Indiana Board and Filler Company.

1903

The Ohio Boxboard Company is founded by Ed Young. American Paper Box Company (later called American Box Board Company) is founded.

Henry Weis founded the North Star Mill in Quincy, IL making paper from wild grasses and later, straw. It is to become the genesis of the Central Fiber Corporation.