Atlantic Timeline….

1945 – Abraham Granovsky and son Phil Granovsky start Atlantic Packaging Products Limited.  The first product is a paper bag, manufactured in a small converting plant in downtown Toronto.

1958 – Irving Granovsky, Abraham’s other son joins the company on a full-time basis after graduating as a Mechanical Engineer from the University of Toronto.

1959 – Atlantic takes the first step towards vertical integration, and begins to produce corrugated containers, first for their own internal use, and later expanding to sell them to other companies.

1963 – Atlantic moves to larger premises in suburban Scarborough.  The site is 111 Progress Avenue that still remains as the corporate office to this day.  The move enables Atlantic to install its first corrugator to produce containerboard, thereby eliminating the need to purchase paper from outside suppliers.  As a result, Atlantic is able to expand its corrugated sales force.

1967 – With limited access to outside paper, and an eye for the future, Atlantic pioneers the use of 100% recycled containerboard in North America, and commissions their first paper mill.  This leadership in environmental stewardship proves to be a success, as other North American paper mills follow suit over the next 40 years.

1972 – In order to service a growing manufacturing base in the west end of Toronto, Atlantic opens their second corrugated plant in Mississauga.

1972 – The mill at 111 Progress is doubled in size

1977 – Atlantic purchases the Paper & Distribution Division of Domtar.  The division is called Domkraft, and becomes the forerunner of today’s Flexible Packaging Group.

1978 – Atlantic expands its manufacturing base outside of Toronto, and opens its third corrugated facility 100 miles to the west, in Ingersoll, Ontario.

1982 – Atlantic creates another milestone event when it installs a Tissue Mill and Bathroom Tissue/Paper Towel converting plant in Agincourt, Ontario.  In keeping with its environmental leadership position, the mill produces 100% recycled paper.  The new division is called the Consumer Products Group.

1982 – Looking to expand its Corrugated Group, Atlantic purchases two competitors, Hallmark Containers and Brock Containers, thereby establishing itself as the premier corrugated supplier in the Greater Toronto area.

1984 – All of the acquisitions are formally amalgamated into Atlantic Packaging Products Limited

1985 – With growing demand for high-end graphics, Atlantic forms a new company, Color Pak.  Their state-of the-art equipment enables them to be the “outside of the box” printing specialists.

1990 – Atlantic starts up its second 100% recycled tissue mill in the eastern Toronto suburb of Whitby, and expands the tissue/towel converting facility.

1991 – The Whitby facility commissions Atlantic’s first newsprint mill.  Once again, Atlantic leads the way, as the mill is the first to produce 100% recycled newsprint in Canada, and forms the basis for the Atlantic Newsprint Company.

1995 – Atlantic celebrates its 50th Year anniversary by hosting a gala banquet and honoring its employees with service and leadership awards.

1996 – The Flexible Packaging group expands by installing state-of-the-art bag converting equipment in a new facility in Scarborough.

1997 – The Corrugated Group continues to grow, and opens up its fourth converting facility in Scarborough, making Atlantic the only company to open up a new corrugated plant in the Toronto area since 1978.

2000 – Atlantic redefines the role of the traditional paper distributor, and forms the Supply Chain Management Group.  Strategically located facilities throughout Ontario help Atlantic’s customers with logistics solutions such as inventory management, product sourcing and third-party supply services.

2001 – To keep pace with a growing North American demand for their products, the Consumer Products group expands its converting facility in Agincourt with newer converting equipment and state-of-the-art robotics.

2002 – In order to be able to supply their corrugated customers with a comprehensive product offering, Atlantic purchases the decorative display division from Chesapeake Packaging, and forms Add Ink.  The newly formed company becomes an industry leader in supplying high-end graphic packaging and displays, as well as providing a co-packing service.

2003 – The Corrugated Group opens their fifth corrugated plant in Brampton, Ontario, which becomes a model for all future modern corrugated facilities.  At that time, Atlantic continues to be the only corrugated company adding capacity.

2006 – Atlantic leads the environmental way once again, by forming a partnership with their sister company, Mitchel-Lincoln, and starting up the first 100% recycled containerboard mill to open in Canada in over 30 years.  The new company is called New Forest Paper Mills, and creates jobs and opportunities in an otherwise ailing paper industry.

2007 – Atlantic sells the Consumer Products Division to Cascades

2010 – Atlantic closes the Newsprint Division

TODAY – The Atlantic Group of Companies is still guided by Irving Granovsky, and its 1500 employees continue to carry out the legacy passed on over the past 65+ remarkable and fantastic years.