WSI GLOBAL HISTORY & HERITAGE

If you look at our company heritage you find amazing information about us and the history of the carton industry, for example: In 1900, the first company to produce an automatic carton folding and gluing machine! The International Paper Box Machine Company went on to produce the largest install base of folder gluers in the world and several thousand of those machines are in existence today, still being built & serviced by WSI Global. The company history of our case/carton packers and pre-feed/feeders originated as the Sturdy Bird toy manufacturer and grew into a dominating product line for automated finishing machines that WSI Global builds & services today.

1900 – The Shell Carton Machine

A development of considerable importance to the paper box industry was the shell carton machine, built in 1900 by E. G. Staude for the Heywood Manufacturing Company. This machine was the first of it’s kind, designed to make folding cartons for Quaker Oats. In 1901, Staude filed for a patent for what was then called a “pasting and folding machine for box blanks”.

1903 – Joined Paper Box Industry

The International Paper Box Machine Company quickly joined the paper box industry. In August of 1903, they began production of their first folder gluer. On April 1, 1904, this machine was delivered to the Munson Folding Box Company in New Haven to produce cartons for the Smith Bros Company.

1914 – Meuwly Machine Works Inc

The Meuwly Family founded the Meuwly Machine Works Inc in Little Rock, AR.

1917 – First Prefolder

Staude provided the first prefolder for automatic folding box gluers to Pohlig Bros, a packaging company in Richmond, VA.

1935 – First Staude General

This is the year that the first Staude General was built by the E. G. Staude Machine Co.. The General combined many features of previous Staude machines. It had a brand new top and bottom feed, it folded, glued and counted standard folding cartons, double wall blanks, diagonal fold boxes and many more. This brought on the 7 in One General name.

1954 – Southern Tool Corporation

Southern Tool Corporation formed as a machine shop in West Monroe, Louisiana.

1963 – Building Packaging Machinery

Southern Tool begins building packaging machinery for the beverage industry for Olin Corporation.

1983 – Western Slope Industries

Southern Tool Company forms Western Slope Industries in Grand Junction, Colorado to serve the converting side of the carton industry.

1984 – Beverage Machines

Southern Tool Corporation produces and markets beverage machines – basket wrap carrier openers and stuffers; 12-can and 24-can pack systems; 6-pack and 8-pack glass bottle wrap systems; 12-pack glass packs, and corrugated tray packers.

1992 (August) – Purchase from Pure Pak

Western Slope Industries purchases the Staude line of gluing and windowing equipment from Pure Pak.

1997 (September) – WE-50 folder / gluer

Western Slope Industries introduces the Western Express WE-50 folder / gluer.

2001 (November) – WE-60C

Western Slope Industries introduces the Western Express WE-60C, 60-inch carton board / corrugated specialty folder gluer.

2003 (April) – Folding Carton Assets

WSI acquired the folding carton assets of the International Paper Box Machine Company and Multifold International.

2006 (January) – Adds 5,200 sq. ft

Western Slope Industries adds 5,200 sq. ft. to accommodate increase in machinery orders.

2016 (April) – WSI Global

Western Slope Industries introduces a company name change: WSI Global. “The new name is a fresh look for the WSI brand and better represents our position in the marketplace”.