In the summer of 1916, an underaged Joseph Holloway Murnane - doubtful of his Irish immigrant Father's blessings, - forged his Father's signature on a "modified" birth certificate and enlisted as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Airforce in the First World War. That entrepreneurial spirit would carry him across the airfields and battlements of Europe and into the business world back home.

      In the summer of 1919, sensing an opportunity in the marketplace, Joe and a partner drafted and signed the original articles of incorporation for the Murnane-Brent Paper Company. In 1921, Mr. Brent's shares of ownership were purchased and Joe became the sole proprietor of Murnane Paper Company, a distributor of coarse papers and a converter/distributor of fine papers.

      One of Joe's fine paper customers through the Depression was a soap manufacturer which contracted with Lynch Machinery to develop an automatic soap wrapping machine. The specifications called for a precision cut base card and, suddenly, Joe found himself in the paperboard converting business. Lynch then began discussions with the Williamson Candy Company to pursue a possible application of their wrapper technology with the O'Henry Candy Bar. Prototype cut cards were delivered to Williamson and a close connection between the confectionery industry and Murnane Paper was forged which continues to this day.

      In the early '50s, the Murnane team designed and built machinery for the manufacture of assembled partitions to service the burgeoning chocolate covered cherry market. Within a decade, they would acquire Harder Partition Company and solidify Murnane Paper's position as a leader in this industry.

      Upon the untimely death of his Father in 1958, Frank succeeded Joe as President of Murnane Paper. Under his leadership, in addition to the purchase of Harder, the Company would change its name to Murnane Packaging, move to its current location in Northlake, IL, become an industry leader in the manufacture of narrow width slit rollstock, and begin to serve the bakery, beverage, and candy industries as a manufacturer of die cut inserts and Flexographically printed folding cartons.

      In August of 1983, Frank Jr., oldest of four siblings, became President of Murnane Packaging, succeeding his Father who became the Company's first Chairman. Under Frank Jr.'s direction, Murnane Packaging now has eight color flexographic print technology for folding cartons in addition to its traditional lines.

      Frank Jr. also led the formation of Murnane Specialties, Incorporated. Specializing primarily in the manufacture of two, three, and five ply Rotogravure printed protective padding (also known as wadding), Murnane Specialties also manufactures pressure sensitive labels, printed/laminated paperboard rollstock, and a variety of printed papers in roll or sheet form.

      The history of the Murnane Companies, through three generations, has been forged on a foundation of hard work and a steadfast determination to further the vision on Joseph Holloway Murnane as both an innovator and leader in the industry. Join us as we build upon that legacy into the fourth generation and beyond.