Welch Packaging

What Welch Packaging does

Welch Packaging Group, Inc. is a privately held, multi-generational family-owned manufacturer of custom corrugated packaging products founded in 1985 and headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana. The company designs and produces corrugated boxes, mailers, displays, bulk bins, and specialty glued packaging for industrial, retail, and e-commerce customers across the automotive, healthcare, food & beverage, pharmaceutical, agriculture, and metal fabrication sectors. Its core technology centers on an integrated sheet feeder system of three corrugators (Elkhart, IndyCorr in Indianapolis, and OHCorr in Wooster) that feed approximately 23 box-making sheet plants, supported by proprietary custom board grades WP130, WP242, and WP243 engineered for specific strength, weight, and sustainability targets.

The company operates a network of 26 manufacturing plants across the Midwest, Midsouth, and Mid-Atlantic regions — Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania — built through an active roll-up of family-owned regional converters including AtCorr, Michcor, IPS, Northeast Box, Capitol City Container, Phoenix/Packaging, ABCOR, and Jamel Containers. Revenue is generated through one-time sales of custom corrugated products plus professional services including structural and graphic design, packaging audits, assembly and fulfillment, just-in-time and vendor-managed inventory warehousing, and private fleet delivery. The pricing model is quote-based with Net 30 standard credit terms, and the go-to-market motion is sales-led through local plant relationships backed by the network's design and supply capabilities. No external funding rounds or private equity backing have been disclosed; growth has been funded organically and through acquisitions of family-owned peers.

Name

Welch Packaging

Legal name

Welch Packaging Group, Inc.

Website

https://welchpkg.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Welch Packaging is a family-owned manufacturer of custom corrugated packaging serving industrial, retail, and e-commerce customers across 26 plants in the Midwest, Midsouth, and Mid-Atlantic via an integrated sheet feeder system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corrugated Packaging Manufacturing

NAICS

Corrugated and Solid Fiber Box Manufacturing (322211), Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing (322212), Other Paperboard Container Manufacturing (322219)

SIC

Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650), Paperboard Mills (2631), Papers & Allied Products (2600)

akta.pro primary industry

Corrugated Packaging & Boxes (RSC, die-cut, bulk bins) (IMAMAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Compostable & Bio-Based Packaging (PLA/PHA, Starch Blends, Cellulose Films) (IMALAMAB), Protective Paper Packaging (Honeycomb, Paper Cushioning, Paper Wrap) (IMALACAH)

Keywords

• Custom corrugated packaging
• Corrugated boxes manufacturing
• Industrial packaging solutions
• Retail packaging displays
• E-commerce mailer boxes

Headquarters

HQ city

Elkhart

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices24 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Custom Corrugated Packaging Products: Manufacture and sale of custom corrugated products including industrial packaging, retail packaging, and e-commerce packaging. Products include RSC boxes, OPF boxes, five panel folders, auto-bottom boxes, pre-glued trays, Gaylord bins, Indestructo boxes, and tuck-top cartons.
2. Packaging Services: Services including packaging audits, design services (structural and graphic design), assembly & fulfillment, warehousing (JIT, VMI), and private fleet delivery.
3. Sheet Feeder System: Internal supply of corrugated sheets to sister plants, with the company operating corrugated sheet plants supported by its own sheet feeder system.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Welch Packaging manufactures custom corrugated packaging products, including industrial, retail, and e-commerce boxes, across a network of approximately 26 sheet plants and manufacturing locations. Products are produced in-house from corrugated sheets made on its own corrugators (ELKCORR, IndyCorr, OHCorr) using proprietary custom board grades (WP130, WP242, WP243) and finished via flexographic, lithographic, and digital printing, die-cutting, and specialty gluing. The company also provides packaging audits, structural and graphic design, assembly and fulfillment, JIT/VMI warehousing, and private fleet delivery as bundled services.

Product overview

Welch Packaging is a multi-generational family-owned and led manufacturer of custom corrugated packaging products, founded in 1985 and headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana. The company operates a network of approximately 26 corrugated sheet plants supported by its own sheet feeder system, providing custom corrugated boxes and packaging solutions across the Midwest, Midsouth, and Mid-Atlantic. Its product portfolio centers on three core packaging lines—Industrial Packaging (custom corrugated boxes, Gaylord bins, auto-lock boxes, die-cut boxes, and direct print boxes), Retail Packaging (flexographic print, lithographic print, and digital print boxes, plus countertop displays, floor displays, and pallet wraps), and E-Commerce Packaging (custom mailer boxes, inside/outside print mailers, and custom inserts). These product lines are supported by in-house services including structural and graphic design, corrugated sheet manufacturing via its corrugators (producing custom board grades WP130, WP242, and WP243), assembly and fulfillment, warehousing and just-in-time/VMI inventory management, packaging audits, and private fleet delivery. The company has grown substantially through acquisitions, integrating brands including ELKCORR, INDYCORR, OHCorr, Capitol City Container, Northeast Box Company, IPS, PAX Corrugated, Phoenix/Packaging, JaMar Packaging, Excel, WG Diversified, Heritage Packaging, NashBox, AtCorr Packaging, Michcor Container, ABCOR Packaging, Jamel Containers, and KnoxBox into its network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Industrial Packaging Custom corrugated industrial packaging including regular slotted containers, custom corrugated boxes, direct print boxes, Gaylord boxes, bulk bins, die-cut boxes, auto-lock boxes, pre-glued trays, and pop-up inserts for industrial, manufacturing, and automotive applications.
• Retail Packaging Retail packaging solutions including flexographic print boxes (up to 6 colors), lithographic print boxes, digital print boxes, countertop displays, floor displays, and pallet wraps with in-house litho-laminating, die-cutters, and specialty gluers for retail brands and consumer goods companies.
• E-Commerce Packaging Custom corrugated mailer boxes and e-commerce packaging with direct print, litho mailers, inside/outside print mailers, and custom inserts designed to enhance brand reputation and customer unboxing experiences.
• Corrugator Operations and Custom Board Grades In-house corrugated sheet manufacturing producing proprietary custom board grades: WP130 (E, B, and C Flute for lightweight, low-freight-weight applications), WP242 (BC Double Wall for enhanced stacking and cushioning as a cost-effective alternative to 42/48/55 ECT packaging), and WP243 (EB Double Wall for high-performance, lightweight replacement with strong print quality and edge crush resistance).
• Custom Box Styles Catalog of custom corrugated box styles including RSC (Regular Slotted Container), OPF (One Piece Folder), 5PF (Five Panel Folder), auto-bottom boxes, auto-bottom trays, pre-glued trays, Gaylord bins, Indestructo boxes, and tuck-top cartons.
• Structural and Graphic Design Services Structural and graphic design services including packaging engineering, cost-effective solution design, samples, product protection engineering, sustainability optimization, labor reduction, inventory optimization, and brand identity integration.
• Packaging Audits Comprehensive packaging audits that analyze and strategically adjust packaging systems to streamline inventory usage, reduce damage, alleviate labor costs, and drive greater business revenue.
• Assembly and Fulfillment Hand assembly and product fulfillment services handling the complete packaging process from start to finish, delivering finished assembled boxes directly to customers or their end customers.
• Warehousing, JIT, and VMI Services Just-in-Time (JIT) inventory management with weekly customer service touchpoints and Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) with on-site weekly inventory management and mix/max level recommendations.
• Private Fleet Delivery Dedicated fleet of trucks operating across all locations for efficient local box delivery, with trusted outside carrier partnerships used for longer-distance shipments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% of scrap recycled
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Jamel ContainerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2026Welch Packaging announced partnership with Jamel Containers of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Founded in 1984 in Collinsville, Alabama, Jamel relocated to Chattanooga in 2011 and serves the greater Tri-State area. Jamel brings multi-pass digital printing and strong design talent, complementing Welch's Tennessee operations with litho-laminated top sheet, specialty glued items, and jumbo boxes capabilities.
• ABCOR PackagingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2025Welch Packaging Group, Inc. completed a merger with ABCOR Packaging of Cleveland, Tennessee. Founded in 2007 by Ricky Sanders and Tom Cassada, ABCOR provides high-quality corrugated products to the tri-state market in southeast Tennessee, northern Georgia, and western North Carolina. The partnership enables ABCOR to introduce new products including graphic packaging, digital printing, bulk laminating, multi-color large-format printing, die-cutting, and specialty gluing operations.
• Phoenix/PackagingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2025Welch Packaging announced merger with Phoenix/Packaging of Mount Joy, PA. Founded in 1983 by the Davidson family, Phoenix/Packaging has set the standard to be 'apart from the competition, not part of it.' This is a strategic acquisition adding capabilities and capacity to Welch's IPS business in York, Pennsylvania. The Davidson family continues in leadership roles.
• Capitol City ContainercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 September 2024Welch Packaging joined forces with Capitol City Container Corp in Indianapolis. This brings together two multi-generational, family-owned companies in the corrugated packaging industry. Owners Rich Purcell, Mike Purcell, and Josh Bryant continue to lead the business with decades of experience. Cap City Container brings state-of-the-art equipment and new product niche.
• OHCorr (Wooster Corrugator)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 August 2024Welch Packaging launched OHCorr, a corrugator startup in Wooster, Ohio. Located in Wooster's Innovation Park in a 200,000 sq ft area of the Wooster Brush Company's North Building. This is Welch's third corrugator startup, adding capacity and capability to the Welch system and reducing freight costs.
• Northeast Box CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2024Welch Packaging acquired Northeast Box Company (NBC) in Ashtabula, Ohio and its subsidiary Paragon Packaging Products in Girard, PA. Founded in 1978, NBC provides packaging solutions to northeast Ohio with Ron Marchewka leading for over 40 years. This expands geographic footprint in the Mid-Atlantic.
• Michcor Container Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2024Welch Packaging acquired Michcor Container Inc. in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded by John Pettengill in 1981, Michcor is a family-run full-line manufacturing plant known for reliability, creativity, and high-quality corrugated products with focus on customer service.
• Innovative Packaging Solutions (IPS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2024Welch Packaging acquired IPS in York, Pennsylvania. Established in 2000 by Chuck Kelley and Mike Rentzel, IPS provides high-end corrugated design services with a special niche in multi-functional reels. Former President Chuck Kelley continues as General Manager. The acquisition expands Welch's footprint into the Mid-Atlantic region.
• AtCorr PackagingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2023Welch Packaging acquired AtCorr Packaging Products LLC in Glasgow, Kentucky. Established in 2010 as family-operated business by Mike Jones and Kenny Whitworth. Current owners Chris Hills, Chris Roderick, Jarrod Beliles, and Paul Virg continue to lead with Beliles as General Manager. Has over 60,000 sq ft warehouse.
• Nashville BoxcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 February 2023Welch Packaging acquired Nashville Box established in 2021. The acquisition expands Welch Packaging capacity and capabilities to Middle Tennessee with bold approach challenging status quo of packaging industry.
• KnoxBox (Knoxville Box and Container)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 December 2022Welch Packaging acquired Knoxville Box and Container, Inc. Founded in 1985 by Horace Harper Jr, purchased by Chris Castleberry in 2016. Provides corrugated boxes, wood crates, and packaging supplies to East Tennessee market for more than 30 years with dedicated workforce and loyal customer base.
• Pierce Box and Paper (now WG Diversified Packaging)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Pierce Box and Paper officially joined Welch Packaging family. Located in Belvidere, IL (10 miles from Rockford), founded by Raymond Pierce in the 1950s in manufacturing-rich area. Rebranded to WG Diversified Packaging in 2024 to highlight diversity of packaging solutions and equipment offerings.
• JaMar PackagingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJaMar Packaging in West Chicago, IL founded in 1979. Committed to assessing and understanding customer needs with industry experts who listen, learn, collaborate and guide. Now part of Welch family of companies with access to Welch sheet plant network.
• Elite PackagingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElite Packaging founded in 2015, Jeffersonville, IN. Built reputation for being solutions-focused and service-driven. Focuses on optimizing packaging supply chain, identifying opportunities, and developing customized strategies to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Packaging Corporation of America (PCA): Large publicly-traded US corrugated producer operating paper mills, corrugators, and converting plants across the country. Competes with Welch for medium-to-large national accounts and represents the scaled, public-market counterpoint to Welch's private model.
• Pactiv Evergreen: Large food and beverage packaging manufacturer with paper and plastic offerings. Adjacent rather than direct overlap, but competes for similar F&B and foodservice customer accounts in overlapping geographies.
• Graphic Packaging Holding Company: Vertically integrated paperboard and folding carton producer focused on consumer-facing packaging. Overlaps with Welch's retail and e-commerce printed packaging lines but emphasizes SBS/recycled paperboard folding cartons rather than corrugated.
• Liberty Diversified International: Privately-held diversified manufacturer with a corrugated packaging division (Liberty Packaging) and paper mill operations. Similar privately-held, vertically-integrated approach to Welch with broader product range across packaging, building products, and apparel/retail.
• Cascades Inc. Canadian-based manufacturer of packaging and tissue products, including a corrugated packaging segment serving North American markets. Publicly traded with comparable North American footprint and similar sustainability positioning.
• Greif Inc. Global industrial packaging manufacturer with a substantial corrugated and protective packaging segment serving similar end markets (automotive, agriculture, F&B, pharma). Much larger and publicly traded, with broader product portfolio including steel and plastic drums.
• Sonoco Products Company: Diversified global packaging manufacturer with paper-based, rigid plastic, and protective solutions serving similar industrial and consumer end markets. Publicly traded with significantly broader scope than Welch's corrugated focus.
• Smurfit Kappa / Smurfit Westrock: World's largest containerboard and corrugated packaging producer following the 2024 WestRock combination. Operates integrated mill-to-customer supply chain competing with Welch for large enterprise accounts requiring national footprint.

Direct peers

• Mid-America Packaging: Mid-sized custom corrugated and rigid box converter serving Midwest and national customers with multiple sheet plants. Closest pure-converter comparable to Welch in terms of size, geography, and custom converter model.
• Pratt Industries / Pratt Corrugated Holdings: Largest privately-held US corrugated packaging company, also family-controlled, with a vertically integrated sheet plant + box plant model that closely mirrors Welch's hub-and-spoke structure. Operates 70+ plants nationwide, making it the most direct strategic comparable in scale and philosophy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries26 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Welch Packaging