Bell Incorporated’s record of innovation goes back to 1976, when Mark Graham bought the company. He recognized the potential for an entrepreneurial packaging company to use innovation to grow in what was then a fractured, slow-moving industry.

Since then, innovation has helped Bell Incorporated grow into one of the 20 largest folding carton companies in the U.S. Our many packaging and process innovations include:

• Proprietary inline tape-and-tear string technology that streamlined the production of mailers and overnight envelopes


• The first pre-cut, pre-glued “bone guard”—an essential component of the gas-flush packing process that revolutionized the fresh pork industry


• Unique sourcing strategies that allow us to pass significant raw material cost savings on to our customers


• The first windowed pizza and hotdog clamshell cartons that are able to withstand more than an hour of 150° heat


• A patented primer that increases seal adhesion on mailers and overnight envelopes


• A patented French fry container design with an integrated condiment holder that was awarded a 2002 Paperboard Packaging Council Gold Award

Just as important as what innovations we’ve made is how we’ve gone about making them. As an independently-owned, entrepreneurial company, we pride ourselves on understanding the needs of our customers. We constantly look for ways to better serve them, save them money, and help build their businesses. That’s why almost all of our process improvements, cost savings, and packaging designs have been made in response to specific customer needs. For examples of how Bell innovation has benefited our customers, see the case studies to the left.