Innovative Folding Carton Co. history

The history of paperboard packaging began as early as 1839 when Aaron L. Dennison, a Boston-based jeweler, began commercially producing rigid boxes for himself and other local jewelers.

By 1850, his business had expanded to include boxes for a wide assortment of small products.

In 1896, the paperboard packaging industry received a huge push forward when the National Biscuit Company introduced their Uneeda soda cracker.

Diamond Paper Box Company was founded in 1911 by George and Harriet Snow as a supplier of folding cartons primarily for the garment and bakery industries.

In 1933, George F. Kress offered a superior alternative for customers using expensive, cumbersome wooden boxes.

Carrie Snow ran the business until 1935, when she sold the business to general manager Wayne Baumer, who later became the Monroe County Republican Party Chairman.

In 1939 Baumer moved the operations from the four-story Water Street location to a 10,000 ft2 one-story building on Somerton Street, off of Park Avenue, in the city of Rochester.

In 1948 Baumer placed an advertisement to sell the business in the local newspaper.

In 1963 Harry Voss met Steininger while vacationing on Lake Ontario.

The Kalamazoo Division was established in Kalamazoo, MI, with 50% initial ownership (remaining interest acquired in 1964).

In 1973 Voss took over controlling interest of the company, which by then had reached $750,000 in sales and employed 13 people.

The Twin Town Division was established in Minneapolis, MN, with 50% initial ownership (remaining interest acquired in 1985).

American Carton Company began in 1992 as a small business startup by Joe Harris and a business partner.

In 1996 Diamond achieved ISO 9002 certification.

Soon after, the company needed to expand and it moved into its current facility in February 1997.

Implementation of new ISO 2000 standards begins.

In 2004 Voss sold his interest in the company to his four children, including Karla Fichter, who later acquired her siblings' shares of the business and is now Diamond's CEO and owner.

In 2006, Joe Harris asked his daughters, Jenise and Jana, if they wanted to learn the family business in hopes of continuing the Harris legacy into the next generation.