Our History
Amcor has come a long way to become one of the world's top global packaging companies.
1860s Australian Heritage
Amcor's history dates back to the 1860s when Samuel Ramsden, a young stone mason from Yorkshire, arrived in Australia with his bride to seek his fortune in a new land. He established Victoria's first paper mill on the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne.
For most of its life the company was known as APM - Australian Paper Manufacturers and its products even then touched the daily lives of all Australians.
The pictures above are, from left to right:
- Samuel Ramsden, Founder of the company.
- Botany Paper Mill, Circa 1900.
- Amcor was the first company to collect paper for recycling with a horse and cart.
- The former Australian Paper Manufacturer's logo and letterhead.
In the 1970s and 1980s the company added a range of diverse packaging interests to its traditional papermaking activities. This was achieved through creating new business partnerships and making strategic acquisitions in order to expand and diversify the company’s activities. With the focus gradually changing and as the company moved towards the future, the company name did not quite fit with the new focus of this young, energetic Australian company. It was decided that the company name should be changed.
On May 1, 1986 APM became Amcor Limited, a name that has become increasingly well known throughout the world for its packaging innovation and its global reach.
Amcor's Changing Global Face
World-renowned innovation and customer service has seen Amcor expand from its Australian heritage to now serve markets around the globe. Profitable organic growth and strategic acquisitions and divestments continue to build change the face of Amcor and reinforce our global leadership position in packaging innovation.
| Divestments | Acquisitions | |
|---|---|---|
| John Sands Greeting Cards Group Leigh-Mardon Printing Business |
1995 | Rentsch Folding Cartons – Switzerland |
| Corrugated packaging business Europe | 1996 | European Flexibles Business (UCB) |
| Paper Mill in USA | 1997 |
|
| Leigh Mardon Flexibles Australia Australian Rigid Plastics Valpak Sawmilling Business ClosedPulp Mill |
1998 | Leaderpak |
| 1999 | ||
| Envelope Business Australia European Box Business |
2000 | Injepet USA Stevens Flexible Packaging USA Albertazzi Films Smutfitt Tobacco Europe |
| Paper Group Demerger | 2001 | Brazilian PET Acquisition Expansion of Sunclipse in USA Expansion of Amcor Rentsch, Poly Laupen Expansion of Amcor Asia – China Flexibles |
| Kimberley Clark Australia (5%) |
2002 | PET USA Expansion – CNC Containers, PET Pack Containers Three way Flexibles Merger with Danisco Akerlund & Rausing Bericap North America JV Sunclipse Expansion – Sirod, Vanguard Packaging, Apollo Paper |
| Kimberley Clark Australia (remaining 45%) |
2003 | PET and Closures Businesses of Schmalbach-Lubeca Amcor Flexibles Expansion – Rexam Food Flexibles, Tobepal/Tobefil Spain Amcor Sunclipse Expansion – Malow Corp, Brick Container |
| 2004 | Expansion Amcor PET – Alcoa, Latin America; Arca, Mexico Expansion Amcor Flexibles – Rexam Healthcare Flexibles |
|
| 2005 | Expansion of China tobacco packaging via share in Vision Grande Group Holdings | |
| Amcor White Cap | 2006 | Vision Grande (46%)
|
| Australasian food can and aerosol business PET Packaging Europe |
2007 |
|
| 2010 | Parts of Alcan Packaging from Rio Tinto, including the Global Pharmaceutical, Food Europe, Food Asia and Global Tobacco businesses. |