COMPANYHISTORIES
SIC 4225

General Warehousing and Storage

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

18companies1840–1991founding years15still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedThe Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company
1840
FoundedGrupo Financiero Serfin, S.A.FoundedPowell Duffryn plc
1864
FoundedKuehne & Nagel International AG
1890
FoundedGrupo Financiero Banorte, S.A. de C.V.
1899
FoundedStinnes AG
1902
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedCrowley Maritime Corporation
1906
FoundedSuntory Ltd.
1907
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedGiant Food Inc.
1935
FoundedNippon Express Company, Ltd.
1937
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedEmery Worldwide Airlines, Inc.
1946
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedPierce Leahy Corporation
1948
FoundedIron Mountain, Inc.
1951
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedUnigate PLC
1959
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedHays Plc
1965
FoundedKoninklijke Nedlloyd N.V.
1970
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedEvergreen Marine Corporation (Taiwan) Ltd.
1987
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
FoundedHospitality Worldwide Services, Inc.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company →
Defunct · founded 1840 · United Kingdom
The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P & O) began as a shipping company.
Grupo Financiero Serfin, S.A. →
Active · founded 1864 · Mexico
Grupo Financiero Serfin, S.A.
Powell Duffryn plc →
Renamed · founded 1864 · United Kingdom
Once nearly synonymous with the Welsh coal mining industry, Powell Duffryn plc has transformed itself into a…
Kuehne & Nagel International AG →
Active · founded 1890 · Switzerland
Kuehne & Nagel International AG (KN) operates as a leading transport and logistics concern with more than 600 locations…
Grupo Financiero Banorte, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1899 · Mexico
Grupo Financiero Banorte, S.A.
Stinnes AG →
Active · founded 1902 · Germany
Following its acquisition in 2002 by rail operator Deutsche Bahn AG, Stinnes AG has been repositioned as the lead…
Crowley Maritime Corporation →
Active · founded 1906
Crowley Maritime Corporation is the largest operator of tugboats and barges in the world.
Suntory Ltd. →
Active · founded 1907 · Japan
Suntory Ltd.
Giant Food Inc. →
Active · founded 1935
From its Depression-era beginnings as Giant Food Shopping Center Inc., Giant Food Inc.
Nippon Express Company, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1937 · Japan
Nippon Express Company, Ltd., is one of Japan's largest transportation companies, with nearly 1,170 service centers in…
Emery Worldwide Airlines, Inc. →
Active · founded 1946
Emery Worldwide Airlines, Inc., commonly known as Emery Worldwide, is an integrated air freight carrier that provides…
Pierce Leahy Corporation →
Active · founded 1948
Pierce Leahy Corporation, which calls itself "North America's Filing Cabinet," is a full-service provider of records…
Iron Mountain, Inc. →
Active · founded 1951
Iron Mountain, Inc., is the largest records and information management company in the world.
Unigate PLC →
Active · founded 1959 · United Kingdom
Unigate PLC is a leading European fresh foods, dairy, and distribution company.
Hays Plc →
Active · founded 1965 · United Kingdom
Fast-growing Hays Plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading business services groups with more than 60 business units…
Koninklijke Nedlloyd N.V. →
Defunct · founded 1970 · Netherlands
Koninklijke Nedlloyd N.V.
Evergreen Marine Corporation (Taiwan) Ltd. →
Active · founded 1987 · Taiwan
With more than 130 owned and long-term chartered ships, Evergreen Marine Corporation (Taiwan) Ltd.
Hospitality Worldwide Services, Inc. →
Active · founded 1991
Hospitality Worldwide Services, Inc.
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