Robert Gair invented the folding carton

Folding carton

The folding carton created the packaging industry as it is known today, beginning in the late 19th century. Basically, a folding carton is made of paperboard, and is cut, folded, laminated and printed for transport to manufacturers. The cartons are shipped flat to a manufacturer, which has its own...

 in 1890 http://www.forgotten-ny.com/forgotten14/forgot14.html.

Brooklynite Robert Gair was a printer and paper bag maker in the 1870s. He invented the paperboard

Paperboard

Paperboard is a thick paper based material. While there is no rigid differentiation between paper and paperboard, paperboard is generally thicker than paper. According to ISO standards, paperboard is a paper with a basis weight above 224 g/m2, but there are exceptions. Paperboard can be single...

 folding carton by accident: a metal ruler normally used to crease bags shifted in position and cut the bag. Gair found that by cutting and creasing paperboard in one operation, he could make prefabricated

Prefabrication

Prefabrication is the practice of assembling components of a structure in a factory or other manufacturing site, and transporting complete assemblies or sub-assemblies to the construction site where the structure is to be located...

 cartons. He ultimately got into the corrugated fiberboard shipping container business in the 1900s. His idea was developed and utilized by E. S. & A. Robinson with whom he had long term business dealings.
Gair founded a paper empire and occupied several buildings in the area, many of which still bear his name.