In 1934 the Portland Diamond Company "Cementos Diamante," was operating a cement plant in the town of Apulo, State of Cundinamarca, Colombia. As an answer to its own packaging needs and those of other similar industries already established in Colombia, the company's management decided, in association with Bates International, a sack producer in United States to set up what would become the first multi-wall paper sack plant in Colombia. Years later Bates International became part of St. Regis, another North American sack producer company.

Before the existence of Colombates all sacks consumed were imported but with the new plant it was only necessary to import the raw material.

With time this small plant grew and broaden its field of action. In 1946 a more ambitious project was conceived: To set up a plant in the department of Valle del Cauca; very attractive region for the fast development of the sugar industry and the setting of new cement plants in the western part of the country. Also attractive for the possibility of growing locally raw material for packaging used in paper mills that just then had started operations in Colombia.

It was June 23, 1948 when Colombates inaugurated its plant in the town of Palmira. In 1953 started consuming raw material produced in the country and in 1958 the paper using in its packaging was 100% Colombian.

In 1979 Celulosa and Papel de Colombia, a subsidiary of Container Corporation of America (CCA) of USA bought 54% of the shares of Cementos Diamante. Later Packaging Investment H., a subsidiary of the Irish Smurfit Group bought 29% of the shares that St. Regis Paper still had in Colombates.

In 1986 The Irish Company Smurfit, world leader in the development and productions of paper and packaging bought CCA. Today thru its subsidiaries it owns 83% of Colombates shares.

Colombates wants to be known in the Paper Sack and Bag industry as:

v The first customer option
v A company with excellent financial results
v The best place to work
v A company committed to Sustained Development

Our Mission

To continuously identify and satisfy the needs and expectations of our customer in paper packaging, so as to give his products and adequate protection, conservation, easy handling and good presentation with solutions and services that add value to its product.

To achieve these goals we encourage teamwork and individual participation creating the atmosphere and the necessary means for the continuous and systematic improvement of our people, our organization, its processes, systems, technology and machinery. These same principles apply to suppliers associated with our company.

Our activities must contribute to the development of the community and the benefit of our investors and of the workers of Colombates guiding always our actions by the highest ethic precepts.