Oriental Containers Limited incorporated in the year 1968 as a private limited company. It transformed as a public limited company in the year 1970. This company promoted by the Somani group, a member of Parjiat Enterprises. The other companies associated with the group are Kopran, Shree Vindhya Paper Mills, G Claridge & Company, United Shippers and the Aluminium Industries.

The company commenced operations with the manufacture of metal containers and closures like pilfer-proof caps and roll-on pilfer-proof caps. In 1983, it created and deployed facilities to manufacture aluminium collapsible tubes. In 1991, OCL diversified into the petrochemical industry to manufacture import substitutes and speciality solvents. The company's products are sourced by some of the best companies in the country such as Indian Oil, Gulf Oil, Pennzoil, Glaxo, Bayer, Colgate-Palmolive, Kissan, McDowell, Shaw Wallace, Reliance, IPCL, BASF, etc. In 1992-93, Parijat Shipping and Finale (PSFL) became a subsidiary of the company. PSFL is engaged in hiring / chartering barges.

In a major diversification in 1983, a plant was created and deployed in Thane district for the manufacture of 25 million numbers p.a of aluminium collapsible tubes.

In 1998-99, the company increased its installed capacity of Aluminium Collapsible Tubes/Rigid Containers by 22000000 Nos, thereby taking its installed capacity to 170000000 Nos.

The Metal Packaging division has received ISO-9002 Certification recognised by Quality Certification Bureau Inc. in 1999-2000. The company has been awarted with two "India Star Award" for its innovative products which is the highest recognition for excellence in Packaging.