The History of Bubble Wrap Packaging Material
Posted by Bryan on 7/6/2013 to
Packaging
Properly packing items before shipping is essential in ensuring that they arrive at their destination in the same condition as they were sent. Common packaging materials include corrugated boxes, tape and Bubble Wrap. Bubble Wrap is a shipping necessity. Items enclosed in bubble wrap can survive the bumping and bouncing that may occur during shipping. Although Bubble Wrap is an excellent product to protect things during shipping, it was originally intended for another purpose.
Bubble wrap was invented in the late 1950s by two inventors working out of a garage in Hawthorne New Jersey. In 1957, Marc Chavannes and Albert Fielding sealed two plastic shower curtains together. The result was a product with tiny air bubbles trapped inside. The inventors tried to market the product as a new kind of wallpaper, which was unsuccessful. Chavannes and Fielding next tried to sell their invention as a form of greenhouse insulation; again they failed. Chavannes and Fielding branded the name Bubble Wrap in 1960 and formed the Sealed Air Corporation.
Bubble Wrap was discovered to be useful in protecting products during shipping in 1961. The benefits of using Bubble Wrap became quickly apparent. IBM was the first customer of Sealed Air Corporation. IBM used Bubble Wrap to protect computers from damage during shipping. Since then, Bubble Wrap has become indispensable in the packaging and shipping process.
Today, Sealed Air Corporations holds over 4,600 patents and has over 9,000 trademarks. Sealed Air Corporation has 145 manufacturing facilities and 56 research labs. The company conducts operations in 62 countries. In 2012, Sealed Air Corporation had net sales of over $7.6 billion. Chavannes and Fielding turned a failed wallpaper invention into a major corporate success story.
Bubble wrap was invented in the late 1950s by two inventors working out of a garage in Hawthorne New Jersey. In 1957, Marc Chavannes and Albert Fielding sealed two plastic shower curtains together. The result was a product with tiny air bubbles trapped inside. The inventors tried to market the product as a new kind of wallpaper, which was unsuccessful. Chavannes and Fielding next tried to sell their invention as a form of greenhouse insulation; again they failed. Chavannes and Fielding branded the name Bubble Wrap in 1960 and formed the Sealed Air Corporation.
Bubble Wrap was discovered to be useful in protecting products during shipping in 1961. The benefits of using Bubble Wrap became quickly apparent. IBM was the first customer of Sealed Air Corporation. IBM used Bubble Wrap to protect computers from damage during shipping. Since then, Bubble Wrap has become indispensable in the packaging and shipping process.
Today, Sealed Air Corporations holds over 4,600 patents and has over 9,000 trademarks. Sealed Air Corporation has 145 manufacturing facilities and 56 research labs. The company conducts operations in 62 countries. In 2012, Sealed Air Corporation had net sales of over $7.6 billion. Chavannes and Fielding turned a failed wallpaper invention into a major corporate success story.
