What has this iconic shot of New York got to do with packaging?
If like the millions of tourists, you visit New York and head to Washington Street in Brooklyn and take this iconic picture of the Empire State Building framed by Brooklyn bridge. All you need to do is glance to your left to see one of the many buildings in the area of Dumbo which are named after Robert Gair.
Mr Gair was a Scottish immigrant who set up his business in Manhattan. In 1879 The Gair Company were printing paper bags, an apprentice set up the chase that holds the letters incorrectly, they were much higher than they should have been. This resulted in thousands of bags being sliced and creased rather than printed. When Mr Gair saw this, he realised the same principles could we used to make a die that would enable board to be cut and crease in one action. This was the start of the boxes which are now commonly used all over the world and the invention of his folding paper board box.
His innovation didn’t end there he also printed on his folding paper board boxes. His business was very successful, he outgrew Manhattan and moved to Brooklyn. Following the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge which increased mobility between the districts of New York manufacturers thrived with large immigrant work forces and improved transport connections. The Gair Company supplied printed folding board boxes to local manufacturers producing products such as soap, tea, coffee and other consumer goods. The Gair Company when from strength to strength, so much so that many of the building in the Dumbo area were owned by the company and the area was known as Gairville.
Today corrugated case manufacturing still use die cuts for bespoke cases made from the initial innovation at The Gair company. So, if you do visit Dumbo take a moment to check out some of the historical Gairville buildings in the area, many still baring the Gair name.