What MINNCOR Industries does

MINNCOR Industries is a self-supporting state enterprise and division of the Minnesota Department of Corrections that manufactures and sells a diversified portfolio of products and services to government entities, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and private sector companies in Minnesota. Founded in 1994 as a consolidation of individual facility prison-industries programs, MINNCOR has been financially self-sufficient since FY03, operating without state subsidies, taxpayer dollars, or grants. The product catalog spans furniture (seating and upholstery lines including Attain, Navigator, Portico, and Waterfall; office, library, residence, classroom, and metal collegiate beds), cabinetry and casework, correctional garments, custodial products, footlockers, high visibility clothing, mattresses and pillows, docks and piers, snow and ice melt products, and transportation products, complemented by services in commercial printing and bindery, contract laundry, warehousing and fulfillment, custom reupholstery, and value-added contract assembly, packaging, and industrial sewing.

The underlying operating model uses approximately 1,300 incarcerated persons as the production workforce across six Minnesota correctional facilities (Faribault, Moose Lake, Oak Park Heights, Rush City, Shakopee, and Stillwater) plus a Roseville central office, showroom, and 51,000 sq ft warehouse, supervised by 51-100 staff employees. Production space exceeds 200,000 sq ft across five facilities; the Faribault laundry processes roughly 3.5 million pounds per year. The business sells primarily through dedicated account managers segmented by buyer type, the new MINNCOR Marketplace e-commerce storefront, a Roseville showroom, and four Minnesota state contracts (M-566(5), C-252(5), S-820(5), F-379(5)). Pricing is quote-based for custom and large orders with unit prices published for catalog items such as chairs, footlockers, mattresses, ice melt, and collegiate beds. PIECP certification from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance permits interstate commerce for prison-made goods, enabling private-sector contracts such as a five-year blanket manufacturing partnership with Faribault Mill; Minnesota Statutes 241.27 and 16C.151 provide the legal and procurement framework, and the EMPLOY post-release program and 24-month Print Technology Program tie manufacturing to workforce development.

Name

MINNCOR Industries

Legal name

MINNCOR Industries

Website

https://minncor.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

MINNCOR Industries is a self-supporting division of the Minnesota Department of Corrections that manufactures furniture, correctional products, and provides printing, laundry, warehousing, and contract assembly services across six Minnesota facilities using incarcerated labor, selling primarily to government, education, and non-profit customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: MINNCOR manufactures and sells a wide range of products including seating and upholstery, cabinetry and casework, correctional garments, custodial products, mattresses and pillows, office furniture, residence furniture, safety products, docks and piers, high visibility clothing, and more. Revenue is generated through direct sales to government, education, non-profit, and private sector customers.
2. Contract Manufacturing Services: MINNCOR provides subcontract manufacturing services to private companies in Minnesota, offering flexible/skilled workforce, broad capabilities, quality products and services, timely delivery, and competitive pricing. This opens new opportunities for Minnesota businesses by broadening their capabilities and increasing workforce and physical space.
3. Laundry Services: Contract laundry services serving nursing homes, hospitals, correctional and residence facilities. MINNCOR operates a 26,000 square foot laundry facility in Faribault, MN, providing quality laundry services for linens, uniforms, medical clothing, linen leasing, and linen sales.
4. Printing and Graphic Design Services: Full-service commercial printing and bindery operation providing high-quality one, two and four color printing, variable data printing, offset and digital printing, graphic design, and mailing services. Participants trained through the 24-month Print Technology Program.
5. Warehouse and Fulfillment Services: Warehousing and fulfillment services from a 51,000 square foot facility in Roseville, MN. Services include warehousing products, shipping, eCommerce fulfillment, and kitting.
6. Custom Cabinetry and Casework: Custom-built cabinetry using wood or laminate materials with standard and custom finishes. Applications include supportive housing, offices, transitional housing, homeless shelters, occupied renovations, and college residences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

MINNCOR Industries manufactures and sells furniture (cabinetry, office, residence, library, classroom), seating and upholstery, correctional garments, mattresses, footlockers, custodial products, high-visibility clothing, docks and piers, and snow/ice melt products to government, educational, non-profit, and private-sector customers. It also provides commercial printing and bindery, contract laundry, warehousing and fulfillment, custom reupholstery, and subcontract contract-manufacturing/assembly services, all produced within Minnesota correctional facilities using an incarcerated workforce.

Product overview

MINNCOR Industries is a self-sufficient division of the Minnesota Department of Corrections that operates as a diversified manufacturing enterprise offering premium products and services. The company operates 14-18 business units producing manufactured goods while providing vocational training to incarcerated individuals. The product portfolio includes: furniture products (Cabinetry & Casework, Office Furniture, Library Furniture, Residence Furniture, Classroom and Residence Life Furniture, Metal Collegiate Bed, Norix Furnishings, Outdoor Furnishings); seating and upholstery (Attain and Navigator chair lines, Portico and Waterfall lounge seating, various task chairs, stools); correctional and institutional products (Correctional Garments, Footlockers, Safety Products); cleaning and custodial products (general purpose cleaners, sustainably green products, floor care, restroom care, hand care, laundry products, disinfectants); and specialty products (Docks and Piers, High Visibility Clothing, Mattresses and Pillows, Snow and Ice Melt Products, Transportation Products, Payroll Calendars). Services include Printing (commercial printing and bindery), Laundry Services (26,000 sq ft facility), Warehouse and Fulfillment Services (51,000 sq ft Roseville facility), Custom Reupholstery, and e-commerce through MINNCOR Marketplace. Value-added manufacturing services include Contract Assembly (200,000+ sq ft across 5 facilities), Packaging & Fulfillment, Contract & Industrial Sewing, and Cabinet Making. MINNCOR operates out of correctional facilities in Faribault, Moose Lake, Oak Park Heights, Rush City, Shakopee, and Stillwater, utilizing approximately 1,300 incarcerated persons as its main workforce. The company is accessed through various Minnesota state contracts including M-566(5), C-252(5), S-820(5), and F-379(5).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cabinetry & Casework

Quantifiable outcome

• 90-day transitional job program Bridge started in 2013 with 10 participants showing pathway to private sector careers
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DVS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership to design, produce, and distribute license plates, registration stickers, and vehicle management solutions. Creates diverse plate designs including blackout plate and team-inspired designs for Minnesota Vikings, Twins, Wild, Timberwolves, Lynx, and Minnesota United.
• Faribault MillcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Manufacturing partnership since 2017 with a five-year commitment to manufacture more than 20,000 blankets. MINNCOR provides production capacity while Faribault Mill provides designs and materials for blanket manufacturing using incarcerated participant labor.
• Habitat for HumanitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Partnership spanning over 20 years building cabinets and casework for 4-5 houses per year. MINNCOR provides custom cabinetry and casework products while supporting Habitat's affordable housing mission. Partnership strengthened through annual Minnesota OLE (Outstanding Leadership and Excellence) conferences.
• Minnesota Indian Affairs CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional relationship with five of eleven American Indian tribes in Minnesota to design and personalize license plates. Tribes include White Earth Nation, Red Lake Nation, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Each design is tailored to respectfully represent the tribe's culture.
• Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with MN DEED to organize and host job fairs for justice-impacted individuals. DEED employers participate in EMPLOY Program job fairs at correctional facilities to connect potential candidates with employment opportunities prior to release.
• Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) / PIECPcoreOthersPIECP (Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program) certification from Bureau of Justice Assistance. BJA contracts administrative components to National Correctional Industries Association (NCIA). Certification allows MINNCOR to sell manufactured goods in interstate commerce. Participants in PIECP positions receive prevailing local wage.
• Minnesota Forest Resource CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMINNCOR's print team produces durable binder systems for forest management work across the state of Minnesota. Custom printing and manufacturing supporting state environmental management efforts.
• Carver CountyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner18-year partnership completing work at justice center, public works division, and most recently parks department. MINNCOR provides various products and services supporting county government operations.
• City of Roseville Fire DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMINNCOR produces metal collegiate beds, nightstands, and wardrobes for City of Roseville Fire Department to support 15 new firefighters. Custom metal furniture manufacturing.
• Minnesota DNRminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMINNCOR furnishes state park group centers with uniform furniture, pots and pans, dishes, and table linens. Supports DNR's mission to maintain and improve Minnesota state parks.
• Small SumsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner at Fair Chance Reentry Job Fairs connecting justice-impacted job seekers with employment opportunities. Small Sums is a non-profit organization helping returning citizens find meaningful employment.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Krueger International (KI): Large-scale manufacturer of educational, institutional, and healthcare furniture serving K-12, higher education, and government markets. Competes with MINNCOR for educational institution and government contracts across multiple furniture and seating product categories.
• Cintas: Major publicly-traded uniform, linen supply, and facility services company. Comparable to MINNCOR's contract laundry services (Faribault facility serving healthcare and correctional clients) as well as broader institutional facility services.
• Virco: Public company producing furniture and equipment for educational, office, and hospitality markets. Directly competes with MINNCOR's classroom and dormitory furniture, residence hall furnishings, and institutional seating offerings.
• ImageFIRST Healthcare Laundry: Healthcare linen and uniform supply services company. Directly comparable to MINNCOR's healthcare laundry services for nursing homes, hospitals, and medical facilities - a material segment of MINNCOR's overall laundry business.
• National Office Furniture: Office furniture manufacturer (part of Sauder) serving workplace, education, and government markets. Comparable to MINNCOR's office furniture line spanning tables, desking, and seating products sold primarily through state contracts.

Direct peers

• Texas Correctional Industries (TCI): Largest state-level correctional industries operation in the U.S., operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Operates a similarly diversified product mix spanning furniture, garments, food service, and services within state prison facilities.
• Norix Group: Leading manufacturer of detention, behavioral healthcare, and institutional furnishings. MINNCOR's 'Norix Furnishings' is a partnership line with Norix, indicating direct product-line overlap in detention furnishings.
• UNICOR (Federal Prison Industries): Federal correctional industries operation under the Bureau of Prisons, operating factories producing furniture, textiles, electronics, and services. The federal counterpart to MINNCOR's state-level diversified manufacturing model.
• Bob Barker Company: Major supplier of inmate products, correctional furniture, and detention supplies serving corrections agencies nationwide. Comparable product lines include correctional garments, safety products, and inmate furnishings - directly overlapping with MINNCOR's correctional product portfolio.
• Plymold Seating: Custom seating manufacturer specializing in correctional, healthcare, and educational markets with high-durability furniture. Directly competitive with MINNCOR's Attain, Navigator, Portico, and Waterfall seating lines in the institutional seating category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about MINNCOR Industries