History - Papirus

Our founders crossed the ocean and started a company that has always loved to transform. Our seven decades pack stories of transformative DNA, relationships of value, and flexibility.

We celebrate a past of achievements, a present of protagonism in the circular economy, and a future of transformation that puts a spark in the eyes of each person involved with our work.

Yesterday we made hats; today, paper: a paperboard full of possibilities. We like to experience, co-create, to deliver quality products and relationships that expand the market.

Institutional video

Timeline

O Início

The Beginning

Papirus was officially established in 1952, when the plant in the city of Cordeirópolis, state of Sáo Paulo, was acquired and started producing paperboard to make packaging for Dante Ramenzoni`s hats, and Cia Ban-Tan`s men`s clothing.
Our journey started much earlier, in 1894.

Cruzando o Oceano

Crossing the ocean

On November 23, 1892, Dante and Lamberto Ramenzoni landed at the Port of Santos coming from Genoa, Italy, on a steamer called Sud America. At that time, immigrants bound for São Paulo would take the train to go up up the mountain and arrive at a station located inside the Hospedaria dos Imigrantes (Immigrant Inn), now turned into the Memorial do Imigrante (Immigrant Memorial).
Two years later, the family opened its first factory in Brazil and began the pioneering and innovative journey that originated Papirus.

Realização

Accomplishment

The year is 1900 and for the Ramenzoni brothers, the most emblematic thing they could do for their business to grow would be to have happy employees, who felt fulfilled with their ability to perform their duties, and who were also well paid. And that`s how they reached new stages of growth. Dante with a more political-social role, engaging people, and Lamberto showing the importance of technique, of the exquisite finishing of the product they manufactured.

Expansão

Expansion

1901, the year in which the Ramenzoni brothers' hat factory was renamed Dante Ramenzoni e Irmão, maintaining its address in the Cambuci neighborhood, in the capital of São Paulo. At this time, business was already thriving with an exclusive production of almost three thousand hats per month. The factory had modern equipment and around 40 employees. Production served the foreign market and all states in Brazil.

Submarino

Submarines

The Ramenzoni went through significant periods in the world, such as the two world wars, and did not stop themselves from moving forward even in the face of difficulties. During World War II, for example, the ships bringing the raw materials used by Ramenzoni Chapéus were bombed and sank. The soldiers believed they were transporting weapons. This fact almost made the entire production of hats unviable, but the raw material was replaced by sheep's wool, coming from southern Brazil.

Capas de chuva

Rain coats

In 1947, Ramenzoni diversified its business. In the land of drizzle, the opportunity arose to sell raincoats with the same quality as those imported from Europe. The following year, taking advantage of the expertise acquired with the manufacture of raincoats, and excited by the success of the sale of hats and the consolidation of the company, Ban-Tan Ramenzoni was born, a men's clothing manufacturer.

Papel Cordeiro

Lamb Paper

In 1950, Ziro Ramenzoni was informed by his cardboard suppliers that they would stop producing this type of paper, and that he would have to find another solution to package his products. It was then that the idea of acquiring a cardboard factory came up. After months of searching, Ziro found the Papel Cordeiro factory, in Cordeirópolis (SP). And so, out of the need to reinvent itself, the embryo of the Papirus Paper Industry was born, with the production of boxes from recycled paper scraps.

Máquina 1

Machine 1

After the start of operation of machine 1, in 1952, to produce cardboard, the Ramenzoni acquired a second machine, in 1955, to produce monolucent paper, strong type and kraft type, a thinner paper for printing in four colors, used in manufacturing labels on hat boxes and shirts. The new machine, originally set up to produce toilet paper, needed to be adapted to produce the desired paper within three months. It was also at this time that Kibon became a Papirus client.

Terceira Geração

Third generation

The year 1962 marked the entry of the third generation of Ramenzoni into the family business, with the return of Dante Emilio Ramenzoni, son of Ziro Ramenzoni and Julietta Pangela Ramenzoni, from the United States. This year, machine 3 came into operation, and Papirus started manufacturing paperboard to meet Kibon's demand. From then on, the company gained new clients such as Kodak (production of film boxes), Nestlé (brown packaging boxes) and several other prominent brands on the national scene.

Fiat Lux e Havaianas

Fiat Lux and Havaianas

It was around 1963 that Papirus entered into a partnership with Fiat Lux to supply matchbox packaging paper. To achieve this, Papirus began a process of dyeing the paper in blue, the brand's characteristic color at this time. During this decade, Papirus also served J.Jacometi, owner of the Scatamacchia brand of men's shoes, and men's and women's fashion clothing, such as Sandálias Havaianas.

Sítio da Barra

In 1966, Papirus reached the mark of 40 tons of paper produced per day. It was also at this time that the idea of building a new factory was born. The chosen land was on the banks of the Atibaia River, in the stretch where it joins the Jaguari River and forms the Piracicaba River, located just 30 km from the Cordeirópolis factory and 131 km from the capital of São Paulo. The land, called Sítio da Barra, housed the new factory and also a leisure property for Ziro Ramenzoni to enjoy on the weekends.

Construção

Construction

In 1969, the assembly of machine 4 and the construction of the new factory went hand in hand, and the Ramenzoni decided to dedicate themselves exclusively to the paper segment. During the construction of the unit in Limeira, Ziro Ramenzoni was very excited, because like any good industrial entrepreneur, his eyes shone when he was setting up a new production line. Papirus directors at the time requested a prefabricated factory project, because this style of factory construction was in evidence for speeding up construction time.

Novas conquistas

New conquests

The period between 1985 and 1990 was marked by important achievements for Papirus, such as the first exports to South America, specifically to Argentina, the installation of flat tables for forming the paperboard sheet and the increase in the factory's production capacity ( 160 tons/day). Another event that also marks this time is the visit of the graphics to the Limeira plant, in São Paulo (photo).

Primeira Convenção

First convention

Between 2002 and 2005, Papirus continued to follow the path of professionalization and growth. In 2003, the company held its first sales convention. His concern and appreciation for the environment was further materialized with the creation of the “Friendship Forest”, a space reserved for partners, customers, end users and friends to plant a tree. It was also during this period that Papirus launched Vitacarta paperboard, and installed the boiler fueled with natural gas.

Filosofia

Shared Management

In 2017, the company replaced the CEO with the shared management of three directors, to ensure more autonomy in the areas of responsibility of each of them, and even greater agility and efficiency. On a day-to-day basis, each person is responsible for their own area: Amando Varella, commercial and marketing, Antônio Pupim, industrial and supply chain, and Rubens Martins, financial administration.

we are a

certified B company

We are part of a global movement for an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy. The B System is an international institution that recognizes socially and environmentally responsible companies and evaluates aspects related to both the environment and communities, governance, employees and customers.