Corrugated cardboard was patented in England in 1856. Corrugated cardboard is made of paper[paper?:paper sample maker cutting machine] and consists of a fluted piece of paper between two flat liner boards. This construction results in a thicker, more durable corrugated cardboard that is widely used for shipping.
Corrugated cardboard is also called pleated paper and was originally used as a liner for hat boxes, designed to protect tall hats. A patent for corrugated cardboard for use in shipping was issued 20 December 1871 to Albert Jones of New York City. Corrugated cardboard was used for protecting bottles and glass lantern chimneys when shipping.
Oliver Long made a significant design change and added liner sheets to both sides, creating the corrugated cardboard design still in use today. A machine to manufacture corrugated cardboard was built in 1874 by G. Smyth. The combination of these two changes significantly increased the demand and use of this new corrugated cardboard.
Corrugated cardboard became a very important product when Robert Gair used it to form the corrugated box in 1890. This box was able to replace wooden crates and boxes at a lower price, without losing the ability to protect the product during shipping. The corrugated cardboard box allowed products to be shipped without damage, greatly increasing the size of the export market.
