We can’t talk about Givember without reminiscing on Minnie Wilson and the legacy she left behind. It was her generosity that sparked this campaign. Minnie raised two boys, Chuck and Ernie, on her own during the Great Depression after her husband passed away. Even on a shoestring budget, she found ways to provide for her family and made sure Chuck and Ernie had a wonderful childhood. And while she didn’t have much to spare, she always found room in her budget to help those in need.

Specifically, she always had a dime to give to someone who needed it (and that dime could afford an entire meal). Chuck and Ernie constantly witnessed their mother handing out dimes to the less fortunate…so much so that the act of giving stuck with them well into their adulthood and the company they eventually started together, Ernest Packaging Solutions.

A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY.

With that giving spirit came Givember—an annual event where Ernest comes together with the community to give back. After deciding on a cause, each of Ernest’s 13 divisions participate to hit the donation goal.

Last year, our team was able to collect over 4,000 blankets—beating our goal by more than 1,000—to keep those in need warm. See our video below.

Other years have included us collecting school supplies for underprivileged students and donating food to families struck by a series of hurricanes. One Givember, we had a goal of donating 10,000 pairs of socks and we shattered that—providing nearly 12,000 pairs to shelters.

While each Givember is a little different, the overall theme is the same: giving back to our community by working together. And it’s clear that Minnie’s way of giving is something the entire team embodies at Ernest.

THE BEST IS YET TO COME.

We’ve witnessed so much generosity and teamwork over the last few years during Givember. So, this year we wanted to up the ante. Our goal for this campaign, lasting through September, is 30,000 personal hygiene items.

It’s a steep goal, but we’re confident in our team. If you would like to help or learn more, we encourage you to reach out to one of our 13 divisions.

Remember, a little goes a long way.

It’s not easy raising two boys. But when you’re raising them as a single mother during the Great Depression, the feat seems almost herculean. After her husband passed away at an early age, it was all on Minnie Wilson to take care of brothers Ernest and Charles. Even on a shoestring budget, she taught her two little guys one hugely important lesson:

There’s always someone less fortunate than you.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A DIME.

Back in the day, Minnie would give her boys a dime to go to the movies or to buy a couple of hamburgers (yes, a couple of burgers for 10 cents). She didn’t always have this to give them, so it was a real treat. But she did—always—have a dime for people in need. This is arguably the most important thing she instilled in her sons. Kindness and charity come first.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS.

Both of our founding brothers served in WWII. Ernest in the Air Force and the Navy (What?!) and Charles in the Army. After returning to the states in 1946, Charles was met by his older brother at the train station with a hug and an opportunity. The exchange went roughly as follows:

Ernest, “We’re in business.”

Charles, “Great. Who works for us?”

Ernest, “Me and you!”

The two young men began running the company themselves out of an LA garage, which is about as lean as it gets. And neither could have imagined what it would become.

GROWING LARGER. STAYING GROUNDED.

Over the years, the business began to thrive. When you have two people with the spirit and discipline of our founding co-founders, it’s not too hard to imagine. They acquired Accurate Container, one of the first corrugated manufacturers, in 1954. They expanded their manufacturing services to include Cal Carton in 1963. As they continued to extend their reach and offering, they stayed true to what their mother taught them. By giving back to the LA community early and often. As is often the case, Charles sums it up nicely:

“When you can help someone, that’s the best thing in the world.”

A FAMILY-RUN LEGACY.

True to his mother’s words, Charles raised his children to greet the world with the same sense of kindness and charity. In 1990, Tim Wilson stepped up to play a bigger role at Ernest Paper Company. And although our name has since changed to Ernest Packaging Solutions, both Charles and Tim still hold their original titles, Charles as Chairman and CEO, and Tim as President. This familial feel extends to those who work at Ernest, as well. When you ask a team member at Ernest what it’s like to work here, the answer is usually, “It’s like a big family.”

A SHINING MILESTONE.

Today, with 13 locations across the nation, Ernest Packaging Company is celebrating 75 years in business. It’s an extraordinary achievement for any family-run company. But it has everything to do with our extended Ernest family, i.e. the 500+ people who work within our walls. They call the 75th anniversary the diamond anniversary. But to us, it’s a whole lot more than a gem stone. It’s a milestone. And a constant reminder to stay true to our humble beginnings and, going forward, to always remember to give back.

Let’s take a moment and enjoy this video created to tell the early history of Ernest Packaging Solutions. It begins with two brothers returning home from World War II and creating a paper business running out of a garage.

Ernest Packaging Solutions is a family company, meaning everyone working here is considered a part of the family. That’s a line you hear from a lot of places, right? What makes Ernest different is that we live by that statement, and that comes from leadership.

“Products are just products; everybody has products,” said Charles Wilson in an interview with the Ernest blog. “The reason it’s a family business is because we feel very strongly that everyone is important whether you are in sales, a buyer, or in the warehouse. We’re considered one of the leaders in our industries even though we’re a mid-sized company, and that’s because of the people and culture we have.”

What Ernest Packaging Solutions has become – a nationwide company advancing packaging technology and engineering – is remarkable. But that isn’t what Mr. Wilson is most proud of. No, he wanted to talk about family, both his blood and his extended company family.

“We wanted to have a family business, and we wanted everybody who worked for us to be a part of that family,” Wilson says. “If you enjoy the people you work with, you feel we’re all in this together and that everybody is important in the business. We work together and try to get everyone to do their best.”

Mr. Wilson, who still comes into work every day, told us, “I think it’s fun to come to work, and I want other people to feel that way, too. The success of the company is the success of all the people. When we accomplish something as a company, everybody is responsible, and they feel a part of that growth.”

“From my vantage point, every day is a gift. Challenges are what makes life interesting. If you just did the same thing all the time in life, it wouldn’t be interesting. Problems are to be solved – that’s what they’re there for. Sometimes you solve them right, and sometimes you don’t, but at least you’ve got something to do.”

Wilson continues, “One thing I’ve enjoyed about my longevity is that I’m still able to do things. I’ve got a store of wonderful memories that’s my fortune. Nobody can match my memories because they’re for me. Each one of us has a lot we can be grateful for. All we have to do is look back and think of the wonderful things that have happened to us.”

Can we get a high five for that?

It’s easy to call yourself a family-oriented company. It’s harder to live that for over 70 years in business, but Ernest Packaging Solutions has. We call this The Ernest Edge. And it’s what separates us from the rest.

This belief that the people you work with can be a family extends to our customers, as well. In fact, many of our customers have been working with us for over 20 years! What do you want from your packaging company: a one-off business partner or a long-term relationship? Contact us today to learn how Ernest is the packaging partner for you.

Mr. Wilson’s childhood was a difficult one. His father passed away at the beginning of the Great Depression, leaving Charles and his brother Ernest without a steady source of income in those trying times. The community came together to help support the boys and their mother, which inspired Mr. Wilson to give back to others whenever possible.

When he came of age, Mr. Wilson pledged his support for his country and went off to fight in World War II. He became wounded in battle, and it was then Mr. Wilson demonstrated his true giving nature. Knowing that there were fellow soldiers still wounded on the battlefield, he bravely plunged back into the fray to rescue them. He refused medical attention until each soldier was tended to, and earned a Bronze Star of Valor for his heroic service.

Mr. Wilson’s devotion to service continued when he returned from the war, as he spearheaded fundraising for what was then the Cedars of Lebanon. The non-profit hospital, which now operates as the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, was a community-based organization, operating thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers. Mr. Wilson was an early leader in supporting the health system, which now boasts 185 locations across California and serves over 16,000 patients in Los Angeles alone!

Caption: See more words of wisdom from Mr. Wilson

The generosity of Mr. Wilson has guided all of us at Ernest Packaging Solutions, and at 93 years of age, he’s still going strong. We’re constantly humbled by his commitment to helping those who need it most, like those who were affected by this year’s devastating natural disasters. Mr. Wilson spearheaded a donation of nearly 7,000 boxes of food to the Houston relief fund following hurricane Harvey.

To learn more about Mr. Wilson, look forward to his Chat With Charles coming soon on the Ernest blog (and see highlights of last year’s chat right here)!

On June 16, our very own Mr. Wilson is turning 93 years old!  It’s been a long journey since Mr. Wilson founded Ernest Packaging Solutions along with his brother in 1946, and his path has been filled with some amazing moments (but more on that later this week!).

And we’re not the only ones taking notice of all that amazingness. In a matter of excellent timing, L.A. Business Journal recently put the spotlight back on Mr. Wilson in their “8 Over 80” feature!

In the interview, Mr. Wilson discusses how his role has changed since the birth of Ernest, and how he’s still on the forefront of the industry 71 years later. We don’t want to give everything away, but here’s one insight into what drives Mr. Wilson to work so hard after all these years:

“I love to help mentor our up-and-coming talent. The future is so bright.”

We couldn’t agree more.

You might remember Mr. Wilson also making headlines in 2012, discussing how Ernest is all about family and professional growth:

Stay tuned to the Ernest Buzz this week, because we’re celebrating all things Mr. Wilson as we close in on Father’s Day; we couldn’t be more proud to call him the father of Ernest Packaging Solutions.

Happy birthday, Mr. Wilson, and here’s to many more! Stay tuned for more from Mr. Wilson on this Thursday’s blog. You won’t want to miss it!

View the full Mr. Wilson “Across Generations” feature here:

Let’s take a look at what was happening in 1946 when it all began.

Need more history in your life? We don’t blame you. Watch the video below and meet the people who made Ernest possible.

Don’t miss a moment of our big 70 year celebration. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to relive the history and get some fun content all week long!

Father’s Day is Sunday, and that got us thinking about family. And who better to talk to about family than Charles Wilson, the Chairman and CEO of Ernest Packaging Solutions who founded the company with his brother in 1946, and who works with his son, Ernest President, Tim Wilson. In addition to it being Father’s Day, Mr. Wilson also turns 90 years young on Monday. Happy birthday, Mr. Wilson, you  don’t look a day over 50!

Let’s take a moment and enjoy this video created to tell the early history of Ernest Packaging Solutions. It begins with two brothers returning home from World War II and creating a paper business running out of a garage.

Ernest Packaging Solutions is a family company, meaning everyone working here is considered a part of the family, but that’s a line you hear from a lot of places. What makes us different is that we live that statement, and that comes from leadership.

“Products are just products; everybody has products,” said Charles Wilson in a recent interview with The Ernest Buzz Blog. “The reason it’s a family business is because we’re all in this together. We feel very strongly that everyone is important whether you are in sales, a buyer, in the warehouse or whatever. Now, we’re considered one of the leaders in our industries even though we are a mid-sized company, and that’s because of the people and culture we have. We will work together and try to get you to do your best.”

What Ernest Packaging Solutions has become – a nationwide company advancing packaging technology and engineering – is remarkable. But that isn’t what Mr. Wilson is most proud of. No, he wanted to talk about family, both his blood and his extended company family.

“We wanted to have a family business, and we wanted everybody who worked for us to be a part of that family,” Wilson says. “If you enjoy the people you work with, you feel we’re all in this together and everybody is important in the business. We will work together and try to get you to your best.”

Mr. Wilson, who still comes into work every day, told us, “I think it’s fun to come to work, and I want other people to feel that way, too. … The success of the company is the success of all the people. When we accomplish something as a company, everybody is responsible, and they feel a part of that growth.”

“From my vantage point, every day is a gift. Challenges are what makes life interesting. If you just did the same thing all the time in life, it wouldn’t be interesting. Problems are to be solved – that’s what they’re there for. Sometimes you solve them right, and sometimes you don’t, but at least you’ve got something to do.”

Wilson continues, “One thing I’ve enjoyed about my longevity is I’m still able to do things. And I’ve got a store of memories that’s my fortune, wonderful memories. Nobody can match my memories because they’re for me. Each one of us has a lot we can be grateful for. All we have to do is look back and think of the wonderful things that have happened to us.”

Can we get a high five for that?

It’s easy to call yourself a family-oriented company. It’s harder to live that for nearly 70 years in business, but Ernest Packaging Solutions has. We call this The Ernest Edge. And it’s what separates us from the rest.

This belief that the people you work with can be a family extends to our customers, as well. In fact, many of our customers have been working with us for over 20 years! What do you want from your packaging company: a business partner or a long-term relationship? Contact us today to learn how Ernest is the packaging partner for you.

Before launching Ernest Paper Products and what has become the nationwide Ernest Packaging Solutions, Ernest Wilson worked in sales for his cousin’s paper company in Los Angeles. Ernest showed his entrepreneurial spirit right from high school. It was the depression time, and Ernest had to support his mother and younger brother, Charles.  So even though he had earned a college scholarship, Ernest went straight to work to alleviate his family’s economic woes.

After his completion of military service in World War II, not one, but two different paper companies, including his cousin’s, were vying for his expertise and hoped to bring him on board. Ernest instead took the advice of his cousin, who said, “Why don’t you start your own company?” — which he did in 1946 when he founded Ernest Paper Products in a small Los Angeles garage.

Ernest made his brother, Charles, a partner when Charles returned from service, and together, they laid the foundation for a company that would grow from the small garage to accommodating locations across the country. Ernest knew it’s the people in business that matter, and he created a dedication to personalized service and innovation that has helped — and continues to help — move the packaging industry forward.

It was under his devoted leadership that Ernest Packaging Solutions persevered through boom times and tough times, alike. Ernest described the satisfaction of providing incomes for lots of people while building a major company:

“…It’s like putting a seed into the ground and watching it grow into a beautiful rose…”

Beyond his success with Ernest Packaging Solutions, Ernie will be remembered as an extremely humble and committed family man who had a passion for life and lived it to the fullest with no regrets.

Though he will be deeply missed by all, we will continue to celebrate his legacy — the wonderful memories Ernest Wilson has left behind will stay with us forever.

For more on Ernest Wilson and the Ernest Family of Companies, please watch the following video, “Business History – Ernest Packaging Solutions”:

Big Steps In Shipping and Storage

Ceramic containers for food storage date back around 8,000 years and were developed in the Middle East. Prior to that, food was primarily eaten where it was cultivated or transferred, albeit poorly, wrapped in animal skins or grasses.

Wooden boxes, barrels and crates came around 3,000 years later. They have even been found holding personal belongings in Egyptian tombs.

The Man Who Invented The Shipping Container

Shipping containers, specifically the ISBUs (Intermodal Steel Building Units) that we know today have been standardized, but up until 1970s shipping, loading and unloading was a horrible mess since each company had its own personal design and system for shipping. American Malcolm McLean figured there had to be a better way.

Over 20 years, McLean used his knowledge to design the perfect shipping container that was strong, stackable, theft-resistant and could be transferred between truck and rail with ease. His design was patented in 1956.

It wasn’t a success until the US Navy adopted the shipping containers. At that point it became the global standard. As a result, freight could be loaded and unloaded faster and by fewer people, reducing the costs by more than 90%.

The Red Tape Never Ends

When the Apollo 11 astronauts returned from the Moon, they had to fill out some paperwork for customs agents. You see, technically they left the United States (boy did they), and as a result the astronauts had to be officially readmitted through Immigration. This led to the seemingly tedious task of filling out “Moon” after place of departure. It’s not like the agents didn’t know where they were. The whole world was watching!

In case you were wondering, the cargo was listed as “Moon rock and Moon dust samples.” Notice that there were no aliens listed. They must have come back on Apollo 14.

See the full Declaration here.

Never Leave A Man Behind

In 1992 a shipping crate bound for the US from Hong Kong fell overboard and was lost at sea. The cargo that spilled into the ocean was 28,000 plastic duck bath toys. Those toys have been following ocean currents ever since reaching every continent but Antarctica, including surviving the Arctic Ocean and moving around North America to reach the British Isles.

Scientists have been using the data collected from ships spotting the yellow tide or duckies washing ashore to study ocean patterns and how long it takes for them to navigate the globe.

The shipping industry is always full of surprises and you need a company that can adapt to a changing world. That’s why Ernest employs a stellar team of engineers and designers to make sure your shipping solution is cost-effective, efficient and safe. Contact us today to find out more.

Technology changes, energy costs fluctuate new products need to go to new destinations and through it all Ernest has been making it happen for our clients.

How is it that we’ve managed to progress like a fine wine and not age like Chinese takeout?

Our Process
We start our process by helping you define your goals and objectives. In four easy steps  we give you creative, customized solutions:

• Define
• Observe
• Analysis
• Recommendations

Our People
Ernest consultants are not just packaging people – we have dedicated consultants for many specialized areas, including:

• Inner packaging
• Cold Chain Solutions
• Facility / Safety / Sanitary Management
• Corrugated Structure and Design
• Shrink, Stretch Film and Systems
• Tape, Adhesives and Systems
• Food Packaging and Automation

And, our Creative Design Group, a retail packaging specialty practice, has lots of experience in packaging for food products. In fact, we have experience in just about every industry.

We’ve solved thousands and thousands of complicated packaging and logistics problems over the last 60+ years and with that we have gained knowledge and, well honestly, a little bit of swagger.

So go ahead, bring us your challenge. We dare you. Find the Ernest location nearest you and see for yourself.