ournal

Digital Print Date: July 2013

In-Out Design Section

Art in the Box

The creative dynamics of corrugated cardboard

Most people give little thought to corrugated cardboard that makes cardboard boxes, providing a protective structure for everyday supplies or more delicate wares. Starting with a simple pine tree, the transformation is fascinating to watch. Any creative venture that begins with a raw, natural source, and then made into a strong and functional product, earns the honor of being called a magnificent work of art. The intuition is uncanny, and the evolution, remarkable.

orrugatedcardboardsheets arebigbusiness.Leadingthe pack,with47yearsof experience,isCorrugatedSupplies Company(CSC).BasedinBedford Park,Illinois,theirnamehas becomeoneofqualityrecognition inperformanceandtechnology. 2005broughtopportunitytoCSC withtheexpansionofasecond plant,locatedinNewHaven, Indiana.Sixyearslater,in2011,athirdplantburstinto life,inCullman,Alabama. Highprecisionmachinelinestakedifferentgradesof paperandmoldintoperfectcorrugatedform, engineeredforstability.Withtheassistanceofhigh pressuresteam,pressureandstarchbasedadhesive,no

lessthanascientificmeasureofbalanceis used.Softwarethatcandoeverything,fromreading pressuregaugestoformulatingqualitycontrolreports, ensuresmillionsofcorrugatedcardboardsections.

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toLondongalleries,takingabit ofrealityandtransforminginto Continuedfromcoverpage a frozenera,Leavittscreations arememorable. CSCoffersthebeginningofamiraculousflowofproducts SculptorJozefSumichrast, thataretakenforgrantedinoursociety.Companieslike Lake Forest,Illinois,discovered WelchPackaging,takecorrugatedsectionsandartfullyweave corrugatedcardboardtobethe intoboxes,containersandcolorfuldisplays. perfectmediafortakingone WelchisheadquarteredinElkhart,Indiana,with dimension to as many as three operatingdivisionsinChicago,Detroit,Indianapolis, dimensions.Layers,thatare Cleveland,Dayton,Cincinnati,ToledoandColumbus. flexibleenoughtoworkwith, Everythingfromstockboxesforshippingandcustommadeto enablehimtocreatecurvature fitdesignerboxestocolorfulstandupdisplays,arecreated andasenseofmovementin throughahostofartisans,designersandskilledtechnicians. dimension.Furtherencasedin ThenthereisIndianapolis,IndianabasedArrowContainer waxorbronze,Sumichrasthas (arrowcontainer.com),whichisanotherfineexampleofhow presentedseveralnatural designingandmanufacturingcorrugatedcontainersand sculpturesinChicagoareaparks;infact,hisNarrowHorse cartonsareleavingafootprintofqualityandlongevitytothe wasselectedtobeplacedinLincolnParkatWestWebster muchneededindustry. AvenueandNorthLincolnParkWest. Withacombinedexperienceofover100yearsinconsumer AnotherfineexampleisIvanParatisSandPapermodular orientedservice,Arrowisaninvaluablefixturetothearea. sofathatisconstructedfromcorrugatedcardboardand Growingupwithcorrugatedcardboard,theyhavebeenable recycled toaddvarietyto paper.Thisgreen thebusinessfora building designis onestopshop.In just one of additionto hundredsofideas designingand nowtaking creatingcustom shape,byusing forms,theyalso anoldidea. carryfoams,tapes, Since1884, stretchfilms, whenaSwedish plastics,kitsand chemist,bythe assemblies. name ofCarlF. Corrugated Dahl,firstdiscoveredthesimplisticartformofpulpingwood cardboardhasbeen chipsintoastrong,tearresistantmaterial.Sincethen,the adefiningmethod worldhasbeentransformedintoamoreproductiveplace.By inprovingthat usingthreelayersofbrownKraftpaperandweavingintoa creativenesscanbe corrugated texture,papercanbechangedintoalightweight, veryresourceful. tearresistantandsubstantiallyfirmmaterial. Over40yearsago, Ascorrugatedcardboardbecomesevenmoredynamicin ArchitectFrank formandperfection,thoseentrepreneurialthoughtsbythe Gehrydesigned technologicalandartisticmindsproduceanendlessarrayof theWiggleChair,whichwasmadecompletelyoutof many morecreativeandpracticalusesforthismaterial, cardboard.Alwaysknownforbeingaheadofhistime,artists including thevisionofCSCsCEOJohnPotocsnakofanear arefinallycatchingupwithdramaticsculpturesandfurniture futureof10manufacturingplants,asIsee pieces,usingcorrugatedcardboard. it,isnothisImpossibleDream CardboardShoeshasbecomeaclassic moreoverthosereachablestars. ofMikeLeavitt WithdrivencompanieslikeCorrugated (intuitionkitchenproductions.com),a SuppliesCompany,WelchPackagingand whimsical,multitalentedartistand ArrowContainer,theyareabletoexpand sculptor.Hisbigkidtoyshastakenthe onnaturalresourcesinapositive hiphopworldbystorm,usingfunctional way.Justimaginethefutureideasthat corrugatedcardboardasacreativetool. arepossible,withcorrugatedcardboard, ThisSeattlebasedartistisguaranteed as wecontinuetogrowtowardagreener toleaveanimpressiononyourplayful wayoflife. side.FromNikePresidentMarkParker

Art in the Box