Tetra Pak's first product was a revolutionary paper carton used for storing and transporting milk. Rausing had been working on the design since 1943, and by 1950 had perfected techniques for making his cartons fully airtight, using a system of plastic coated paperboard. These initial cartons were tetrahedrons, leading to the company's name. In 1963 the company introduced Tetra Brik, a rectangular carton.
Ruben Rausing's son Hans ran Tetra Pak from 1954 until 1985, taking the company from a seven-person concern to one of Sweden's largest corporations. Before his death in 1983, Ruben Rausing was Sweden's richest person.
Tetra Pak is the world's largest supplier of cartons and bottles for milk, soup, fruit juices, and other liquid products, and the company also manufactures machinery used for food packaging. In 2002 it employed over 20,000 people.
See also: List of Swedish companies