Ox Industries Celebrates 30 Years of Growth, Innovation and Manufacturing Excellence

From its beginnings in Hanover, Pennsylvania, Ox Industries has grown into a leading U.S. manufacturer of 100% recycled paperboard and converted products.

HANOVER, PA - Ox Industries is celebrating its 30th anniversary, marking three decades of growth from a small paper tube and core manufacturer in Hanover, Pennsylvania, into a leading independently owned, vertically integrated manufacturer of 100% recycled paperboard and converted paperboard products serving customers across the United States.

Founded in 1996 by Chris and Kathy Keffer as Ox Paper Tube & Core, the company began operations at 331 Maple Avenue in Hanover with a small team focused on manufacturing recycled paperboard tubes and cores. Today, Ox Industries employs more than 600 people and operates four paperboard mills and six converting facilities across the country, with its corporate headquarters remaining in Hanover.

A defining milestone in the company's history came in 2007 with the acquisition of the Halltown Paperboard Mill in West Virginia. The purchase transformed Ox into a vertically integrated manufacturer, allowing the company to produce its own recycled paperboard for conversion into finished products. This strategic move provided greater control over material quality, supply chain reliability and production efficiency, laying the foundation for decades of expansion.

Over the following years, Ox continued to expand its manufacturing capabilities and geographic reach through strategic acquisitions, new facilities and investments in existing operations. The company added recycled paperboard mills in Pekin, Illinois; Carthage, New York; White Pigeon, Michigan; and Eaton, Indiana, while growing its network of converting facilities across the country. These investments also broadened the company's product portfolio beyond its original paper tubes and cores to include protective packaging, chipboard sheets and specialty converted paperboard products.

Despite its national growth, Hanover remains central to Ox Industries' operations and identity. The original Maple Avenue facility continues to support tube and core business operations, with manufacturing taking place at the company's Commerce Street facility following an expansion in 2018. That same year, Ox expanded its corporate operations to 600 West Elm Avenue, which remains its headquarters today.

Ox further strengthened its commitment to Hanover in 2022 with the acquisition of a 150,000-square-foot facility as part of a $15 million local investment. In 2023, the company relocated its protective packaging operations from York, Pennsylvania, to the new Hanover location, establishing a second manufacturing operation in its hometown and expanding production capabilities for its OXGuard and U-Board protective packaging products.

"Thirty years ago, we started with a small team and a commitment to producing quality products and serving customers," said Kevin Hayward, CEO of Ox Industries. "What we've built since then is a reflection of the dedication of our employees, the trust of our customers and the strength of the communities where we operate. Hanover is where our story began, and it remains an important part of who we are and where we're going."

Under Hayward's leadership, Ox Industries has continued to build on its founding principles of quality, customer service and continuous improvement while investing in the people, technology and manufacturing capabilities needed to serve customers nationwide.

Sustainability remains fundamental to the company's business. Through its vertically integrated operations, Ox transforms recovered paper materials into 100% recycled paperboard and finished products, helping customers meet their manufacturing and packaging needs while supporting a more circular economy.

As Ox Industries celebrates this milestone, the company remains focused on continued investment in sustainable manufacturing, operational excellence and the employees and communities that have contributed to its success.

About Ox Industries
Founded in 1996 in Hanover, Pennsylvania, Ox Industries is a leading independently owned, vertically integrated manufacturer of 100% recycled paperboard and converted paperboard products, including tubes and cores, protective packaging and specialty paperboard solutions. Headquartered in Hanover, Ox operates four recycled paperboard mills and six converting facilities across the United States, employing more than 600 people. The company serves diverse industrial markets with a commitment to quality, innovation, sustainability and customer service.

For more information, visit www.oxindustries.com.