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The discovery of expanded polystyrene (EPS) at the
beginning of 1950s revolutionised many sectors of the
economy. Today, the material is used in a wide variety
of everyday products, from children’s toys to automotive
components.
EPS forms are created by heating plastic beads and
injecting them under pressure into precision-engineered
moulds, where the beads coalesce into the desired
shape. The versatility of EPS soon led to its worldwide
major application as a cost-effective means of packaging
for electrical and electronic consumer goods, including
white goods. Its durability, excellent shock-absorbing
properties and low weight – it contains 97% air by
volume – allow it to provide ideal protection for sensitive
or fragile items.
Recognising this potential some 0 years ago, a
young, privately owned company based in Turin has
since built a business supplying some of Italy’s bestknown
manufacturers.
Iltar Italbox’s president is Dr. Arch. Franco Paglia.
To his colleagues and employees, he’s known simply as
the “architect.” He studied at the Politecnico di Torino,
famous for its architecture school, and he also runs a
small architectural studio nearby with his two sons.
A faded picture on his office wall shows the modest
roadside house where Paglia launched Italbox in 1959.
Adjacent is an aerial photograph depicting the sprawling
factory that was built just 10 years after the company
commenced trading.
Of course, back in 1959 EPS didn’t exist. Italbox
used plywood to make specialist packaging for its
client, Olivetti. However, with the advent of the plastic
“revolution” in the 19 0s, packing requirements changed
to take advantage of the better, more effective solutions
offered by this innovative range of materials, one of
which was EPS.
“Computers and other electronic devices were
then packed using this new material,” says Paglia.
“Its versatility allowed our customers to specify more
precise, custom-designed packaging, which provided
better fit and protection for their products.”
Italbox claims to be the first company in Italy to
produce packaging using this new material. Because
of its long relationship with Olivetti, large manufacturers
such as IBM beat a path to the door of Italbox, keen not
to miss out on the EPS phenomenon.
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