AMERICAN BOX CO. - The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

The AMERICAN BOX CO., founded in 1901, grew to become one of the nation's top 3 box manufacturers before it moved out of Cleveland in 1962. American Box was founded by John P. Kubes, who guided the company until illness forced him to resign as president in Nov. 1944, shortly before his death. A native of Bohemia, Kubes came to the U.S. at age 10 and at 13 began working for the Likly & Rockett trunk-manufacturing company, where he became interested in the production of wooden boxes. Forming his own company in 1901, Kubes became a pioneer in the development of lightweight, wooden, and wirebound boxes and crates. He also was active in national organizations in the box-manufacturing industry. First located at 12 Carter St., American Box was moved in 1905 to 540 Seneca (1932 W. 3rd) St.; it remained in that block for the next 57 years. By 1928 the company had established a subsidiary, the American Wood Prods. Corp., located in Marion, SC. Company sales approached $3 million in 1950 and in 1960 the firm employed 258 people. In July 1962, American Box was sold to the Altamil Corp. of Indianapolis, IN, which moved the company's operations to Fernwood, MS.

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