Operating from the same location under ownership of the same founding family for over 100 years is a rare feat in today’s ever-changing manufacturing landscape—especially in the fiercely competitive and capital-intensive folding-carton industry.
But aging like a fine wine seems to come naturally to the proud and resolute folks helping Ingersoll Paper Box Co. grow from strength to strength through tireless dedication and commitment. Their high product quality, manufacturing excellence and best-in-class customer service sets them apart in the industry.
Having undergone numerous expansions and plant upgrades since opening its doors back in 1922, the company’s landmark 85,000-square-foot facility is today a one-stop shop, manufacturing sustainable packaging solutions for many big brand names in the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, health and beauty and other CPG (consumer packaged goods) sectors.
Employing about 70 full-time production staff operating on a three-shift, five-days-a-week schedule, Ingersoll Paper Box offers a comprehensive range of custom design solutions, starting with advanced structural and graphic design services enabled by continuous investment in cutting-edge technologies for printing, die-cutting, embossing and folder-gluing.
Headed by company president Sarah Skinner, representing the fourth generation of the founding family, Ingersoll Paper Box is also one of the most prominent and well-respected employers operating in the picturesque town of Ingersoll, located in Oxford County on the banks of the Thames River in southwestern Ontario.
According to quality and business process improvement manager Marianne Fountain, the company’s high standing in the local community and stellar industry reputation provide it with an important competitive edge.
“We really pride ourselves on being community-focused and employing really great people that stay with us for a long time,” says Fountain.
“All of Sarah Skinner’s children are also employed at Ingersoll Paper Box,” he points out, “following in the footsteps of other family members.
“Treating people well is something that has been embedded into our work culture right from the beginning,” Shapton states, noting that more than a quarter of the plant’s staff have been with the company for over 25 years.
As Sarah Skinner explains, the vast wealth of industry knowledge and experience shared by the company’s employees is an invaluable asset that very few other independent Canadian folding-carton producers can match.
“We have the skill set to tackle any sort of challenge that our customers may have,” Skinner states.
“We are really well-known for our responsiveness in terms of providing quick turnaround for our customers and for delivering high-quality products at a fair price,” adds director of sales Shawn Shapton.
“In addition to having the luxury of being a family-owned company, our sales team and customer service reps have built up very strong relationships with our customers by providing them with exceptional customer service,” says Shapton, adding that all of the company’s suppliers and vendors are treated with the same high level of goodwill and respect.
“We view our customers and our suppliers as partners, not outsiders, because they are both equally important parts of the same equation,” he states.
“Competing in the folding-carton industry requires a good mix of innovation, efficiency and adaptability to market demands, and the ever-changing expectations of our customers.
“Being able to do that for over 100 years is a testament to the quality of the people we have working here,” Shapton asserts, “but we really cannot downplay the strength of our vendors, both on the equipment and the raw materials (board) side of the mix.”
On the equipment side, the Ingersoll plant has amassed a “state-of-the-art” production-equipment arsenal, according to production manager Craig Watmough, which includes a seven-colour Koenig & Bauer Rapida 106 press and a six-colour MAN Roland printing press; two Bobst folder-gluers, both equipped with the W.H. Leary application and quality-assurance systems; one Bobst Novacut and a Koenig & Bauer Iberica die-cutter; and ESKO prepress equipment.
“We can run orders from 5,000 boxes to over three million cartons,” says Watmough, adding the company is constantly upgrading its ancillary production equipment and software to optimize its primary production machinery.
“We always strive to give everyone working here the best tools we can for them to make the best product possible for our customers,” says Watmough, lauding the Rapida 106 press’s powerful capabilities that enable it to perform both conventional and UV printing at speeds of up to 18,000 sheets per hour.
“We typically run the Rapida press at about 14,000 sheets per hour on average,” he relates, “but it’s great to have this extra capacity to accommodate some of our large-volume runs.”
For their part, the plant’s two die-cutters feature patented blanking technology that enables them to cut full sheets into individual cartons at exceptionally high speeds.
Moreover, the plant’s two folder-gluers are equipped with inline Leary quality-control systems that automatically inspect every carton for board defects, type accuracy, colour variations, and any other possible deviations from the original PDF proofs.
Says Watmough: “Being customer-centric enables us to provide customized packaging solutions with shorter lead-times and enhanced design capabilities.
“Today’s customers have very diverse needs that consistently change with the ebbs and flows in the packaging world,” Watmough points out.
“Hence, IPB always strives to stay on the leading edge of technology, especially on the software solutions side, to maintain our structural and graphic design competencies at the highest level.”
In addition to offering its customers a broad range of high-quality finishing options—including inline embossing and Braille printing—Ingersoll also provides them with optional warehousing and inventory management services.
“It’s all part of our continuous efforts to integrate our technology investments in a way that achieves optimal cost management for us and our customers,” says Shapton.
Ingersoll Paper Box is also fully committed to environmentally responsible manufacturing by implementing rigorous in-house programs to reduce waste and minimize its carbon footprint at all stages of the production process.
Equipped with an in-house compactor and baler, the plant collects and returns all the paperboard trimmings for reuse, while also using a customized recycling collection system to divert over 99 per cent of paperboard waste generated at the plant from landfill.
Moreover, IPB crafts most of its printing inks in-house utilizing vegetable-based formulas that eliminate waste. In addition, all the printing plates are imaged in-house and require no water or harsh chemicals when being produced, according to Ingersoll.
Fully-certified under the global FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) standards for responsible forestry management, IPB has also earned the globally recognized ISO 9001-2015 (quality management), GMI (print quality) and the BRCGS (Brand Reputation through Compliance Global Standards) certification for food-safe packaging.
Over the last couple years, Ingersoll has significantly expanded its repertoire of sustainable packaging with the introduction of a new line of sustainable freezer-grade boxboard packaging made from the Kallima brand paperboard manufactured by RYAM (Rayonier Advanced Materials) at its facility in Témiscaming, Que.
Developed specifically as a sustainable packaging solution for frozen meals and other convenience food products, the lightweight folding grade is engineered to withstand temperatures as low as -18°C (0°F), maintaining its structural integrity and resisting delamination in freezer conditions.
Manufactured via a unique process to ensure optimal natural resistance to moisture and condensation without coatings or plastic extrusion, the Enhanced Freezer Application board checks all the boxes for durability, moisture resistance, versatility, printability and sustainability, according to RYAM, being made from responsibly sourced, certified forest fibre.
“Our Enhanced Freezer Application is a direct response to customer needs,” says Ken Duffy, RYAM’s senior vice-president for paperboard and high-yield pulp.
“It empowers converters with a freezer-ready solution that performs reliably while remaining easy to convert—helping brands stay competitive without adding production complexity.”
As RYAM’s technical sales representative for paperboard Bob Hepburn relates, “Our Kallima freezer/freezer-grade performed exactly as anticipated during trials with the Ingersoll Paper Box team.
“The rolls were sheeted in Toronto without issue, then printed, die-cut, folded and glued at Ingersoll,” Hepburn recalls.
“The freezer/freezer grade ran identical to our traditional folding grade,” he relates, “requiring no adjustments to achieve an excellent finished package.”
Adds Duffy: “Ingersoll Paper Box has been an outstanding partner, collaborating with us on the development of two key products: freezer/freezer-grade board and the oil/grease-resistant board.
“Their openness to running trials at their facility has been instrumental in our success and in expanding Kallima’s presence in the folding packaging market,” Duffy states.
According to Shapton, adding Kallima board to its portfolio has been highly beneficial for Ingersoll Paper Box on multiple levels.
“The quality level is comparable to SBS (Solid Bleached Sulfate) board,” he explains, “but with a reduction in weight, while providing a very high-quality sheet to print on at high speeds.
“We know that RYAM is very responsive from a technical production standpoint,” he adds, “and are always there to resolve any issues quickly.
“RYAM is a supplier that we rely on frequently nowadays,” Shapton states.
Like Ingersoll, RYAM also places a high premium on packaging sustainability, as fittingly reflected by the Bronze Medal ranking it has earned from EcoVadis, which is valid through August of 2026.
With an overall score of 67 out of 100, the company ranks among the top 20 per cent of all organizations worldwide evaluated by EcoVadis to date—further enhancing the sustainability credentials of its Kallima board and other high-yield pulp products that also boast the vaunted FSC and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) accreditations.
“It’s a relationship that’s working out very well so far,” Shapton asserts, “and has great potential going forward.
“But the bigger picture is that RYAM is more than just another vendor for us—it is a true partnership,” Shapton concludes. “We really enjoy working closely together to provide a great product for our customers.”
As RYAM’s paperboard account manager Stephane Goupil fittingly sums up, “Kallima’s Freezer Board delivers cold-chain strength with a sustainable edge.
“Made in Canada from reliable tariff-free supply, it cuts material and shipping costs,” Goupil concludes, “while providing a lightweight, durable and hydro-powered solution to prove that high performance and sustainability can go hand-in-hand.”
