Member Spotlight – Midland

Submitted: Kathi Rowzie August 20, 2022

After more than 100 years in business, MIDLAND has grown from a single Midwest location to one of the largest independent paper and packaging distributors in the United States. Headquartered in Wheeling, Illinois, MIDLAND provides value added solutions for the efficient distribution of printing and publication papers, packaging supplies and equipment, and facility supplies. Through experienced recommendations and intimate knowledge of these industries, the company helps clients find the best solution for their needs at the most competitive pricing in today’s ever-changing marketplace.

MIDLAND focuses its attention on adding value to paper and packaging programs by using its strong mill relationships and expertise in paper, packaging, design, printing and mailing to help clients exceed their marketing and financial objectives. And when it comes to sustainability, MIDLAND’s commitment is evident in both principle and practice.

Sustainable Solutions

“More and more, we see the current business climate driving our print and packaging customers to assess their impact on the planet,” says MIDLAND National President David Goldschmidt. “Companies turn to MIDLAND because they want a responsible supplier who conducts business ethically and can help them achieve their corporate sustainability goals.

“MIDLAND’s corporate sustainability approach focuses on several key pillars – driving social impact, environmental ethics, protecting our planet, empowering our people and promoting responsible business practices,” Goldschmidt explains. “We are constantly integrating this approach through the transformation of our own operations and offerings, and by providing sustainable solutions for our clients.”

The company’s team of experts has a deep knowledge of the environmental impact of paper and packaging in the supply chain. MIDLAND’s long-standing commitment to chain-of-custody forest certification, extensive offering of recycled papers, papers manufactured with biofuels, as well as its innovative Carbon Balanced Paper program, help a rapidly growing number of customers achieve their sustainability goals with the least environmental impact.

MIDLAND holds leadership roles and actively participates in various sustainability-focused organizations, including the Environmental Paper Assessment Tool (EPAT) Steering Committee and ongoing mill sustainability committees. The company has been a member of Two Sides North America (TSNA) since the organization’s inception more than a decade ago, and MIDLAND National Vice President of Sales Bill Rojack currently serves as chairman of the TSNA Board of Directors.

“MIDLAND is proud to partner with Two Sides to promote the sustainability of paper in all of its many applications,” Rojack says. “TSNA advocates for the paper industry’s great environmental record with a constant stream of solid research and factual evidence. They have prevented significant financial and reputational damage to our industry from opportunistic and unsubstantiated greenwashing claims that distort our sustainability accomplishments.

“TSNA effectively confronts and eliminates greenwashing, prevents its spread and exposes the true motive behind the “go green/go paperless” messages we see,” Rojack adds. “Without Two Sides, this bogus environmental messaging would become a larger threat to print, paper and mail volumes, and in turn, valuable industry jobs.”

Carbon Balanced Paper

MIDLAND is also a preferred partner of Carbon Balanced Paper North America. Already proudly used by thousands of organizations across Europe, Carbon Balanced Paper is a simple, credible, measurable and verifiable program of the World Land Trust global conservation charity that enables companies to reduce the carbon impacts of their printed communications. When paper is carbon balanced, the average emissions associated with its production are offset by protecting threatened habitats that otherwise would have been lost, avoiding the release of stored carbon. This also enables the regeneration of degraded forests habitats, which gradually reabsorb atmospheric CO₂.

Since the program kicked off in North America in May of 2021, MIDLAND has helped many clients with their carbon reduction goals, balancing more than 14.5 million pounds of paper, over 20.4 million pounds of CO₂-e, and protecting more than 675 acres of endangered forests and threatened habitats.

Beyond Distribution

Not simply a distribution company, MIDLAND acquired CohereOne, a multichannel consulting and strategic services firm in 2019. With the addition of CohereOne’s seasoned experts, MIDLAND’s offerings include strategic planning, branding, campaign execution, integrated print and digital direct mail solutions, and analytics to drive sales more effectively and efficiently. CohereOne engages with brands by conducting a helpful assessment to learn about the health of their business and to discover opportunities for significant and measurable growth.

MIDLAND recently acquired J.Schmid, a prominent creative and branding agency, to further expand the value-added consultative services it offers its clients.

Key to Success

Goldschmidt sums up the key to MIDLAND’s success in two words: “Our employees.”

“Our unparalleled, detail-oriented team of dedicated professionals brings experience from all facets of the industry,” he says. “We pride ourselves on delivering outstanding service, practical knowledge and technological innovation to every client, from large Fortune 500 companies to smaller, family-owned businesses.”

To learn more about MIDLAND, visit www.midlandco.com.