9th September 2025
Celebrating 50 years in business
This week on the 15th September we will be incredibly proud to celebrate 50 years in business!
What an achievement!
It was in 1999 that the business became The Cardboard Box Company but the story started long before then.
It was in 1975 when Chapman Industries formed Chapman Cartons to make and supply cardboard boxes to its five envelope manufacturing sites across the UK.
At that time, Chapman Envelopes was the largest envelope manufacturer in the UK so having its own box making factory to despatch its products made perfect sense.
It quickly became established, and it was recognised from the beginning that the success of the business depended upon its ability to offer credible solutions to customers’ packaging dilemmas. It’s an ethos that’s stayed pretty much the same across the decades.
In the 80s and 90s as the business gathered pace CBC had some pretty notable achievements; in the ‘80s, they designed the original satellite dish packaging for BskyB (British Sky Broadcasting) while in the ‘90s, Time Computers, the largest manufacturer of PC’s in the UK, supplied the first complete Home PC package to the UK retail market via Tesco in a box designed by them.
After several factory moves across the area the business settled in Accrington in 1989 and has stayed there ever since apart from an extension or two!
In was in 1999 that Trelleborg, its then owners, sold Chapman Industries and Chapman Containers and the latter was bought by a private businessman, Mr Peter Street.
With a new owner and a new name of The Cardboard Box Company, the business grew exponentially and increased its turnover significantly, until it was acquired by Logson Group in June 2018.
Today, the business operates a turnover of £24m with a clear plan to take this to £45m and maximum capacity at its current plant by 2029.
Some of our team have been here for many years including Daniel Johnston, Managing Director and Commercial Director, Matt Herd who joined the business around the same time, early in the new millennium.
Daniel commented; “I can’t quite believe where the time has gone since 2003 and the roles I have done since joining as a Cost Estimator when I finished Uni and didn’t really have a master career plan!
“I never planned to work in corrugated, and I accepted the job on a night out after my friends Dad offer me a post. I’d finished Uni and didn’t know what to do so it seemed sensible. Clearly it was the right thing to do!”
Matt added; “It’s quite unusual for people to stay with businesses for such a long time now however there is something quite unique about CBC. From joining in summer 2000, I have also worked in many different roles and know the business inside out.
“It’s a great place to be and I’m looking forward to taking the business forward and into its sixth decade with the rest of the team.”
