Carter Paper & Packaging

What Carter Paper & Packaging does

Carter Paper & Packaging sells through a sales-led, inside-sales motion that requires customers to call to open accounts; pricing is quote-based and gated behind account login on the e-commerce platform, which is secured with VeriSign 128-bit encryption and Hacker Safe certification. The company serves both B2B and B2C customers: large businesses and enterprises across janitorial, food service, industrial, facility maintenance, educational, safety/PPE, and healthcare verticals, plus homeowners and SMBs seeking moving and packaging supplies. Distribution operates through tiered same-day and next-day local delivery zones around Peoria (Inner Circle through Fourth Circle with escalating minimums and $15-$75 same-day surcharges), customer pickup at the Peoria facility, and nationwide shipping to U.S. addresses and APO/FPO/DPO locations. The company is affiliated with the Better Business Bureau, Afflink, and the Peoria Chamber of Commerce.

Name

Carter Paper & Packaging

Legal name

Carter Paper and Packaging, Inc.

Website

https://carterpaper.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Carter Paper & Packaging is a family-owned distributor of paper, packaging, janitorial, food service, office, PPE, and safety supplies, serving SMBs, large businesses, and consumers from Peoria, IL with local zone delivery and nationwide shipping.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Packaging and Industrial Supply Distribution

NAICS

Industrial and Personal Service Paper Merchant Wholesalers (424130), Stationery and Office Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42412)

SIC

Wholesale-Paper & Paper Products (5110)

akta.pro primary industry

Paper, Tissue, Wipers & Dispensers Distribution (CRAOAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Paper & Printing Grades Distribution (Printing/Writing, Newsprint, Specialty) (IMAMAIAF)

Keywords

• Packaging supply distribution
• Janitorial supplies distribution
• Food service disposables
• Industrial packaging materials
• PPE and safety supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Peoria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Revenue generated from selling paper, packaging, and supply products across multiple categories including food service, janitorial, office products, packaging, PPE, and safety items. Sales occur through e-commerce, phone orders, and account relationships.
2. Distribution Services: Revenue includes value from distribution services including local delivery to Peoria area customers and nationwide shipping capabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Carter Paper & Packaging distributes paper, packaging, janitorial, food service, office, PPE, and safety supplies to commercial and residential customers from its 55,000 square foot Peoria, IL facility. Products are sold through an account-based e-commerce storefront, phone sales, local tiered-zone delivery, and nationwide U.S. shipping, with over 691 SKUs spanning seven major product categories.

Product overview

Carter Paper & Packaging is a physical products distributor offering a comprehensive range of paper, packaging, and supply products through multiple categories. The company operates as a traditional B2B/B2C distributor with an e-commerce platform. Their product portfolio is organized into seven main categories: Food Service Products (disposable food packaging, cutlery, cups, containers), Janitorial Supplies (cleaning supplies, towels, tissue, can liners), Office Products (copy paper, envelopes, labels), Packaging Products (corrugated boxes, bubble wrap, foam cushioning, stretch film, tape, VCI rust inhibitors), PPE (gloves, masks, sanitizers, wipes), Safety Items (absorbents, ice melt), and Specials/Closeout Items. Products are available through their main website and an expanded online catalog at carterpaper.packagingcatalog.com. The company ships nationwide and offers local delivery in the Peoria, IL area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Food Service Products Disposable food service supplies including bags, bowls, plates, trays, containers, cups, cutlery, napkins, lids, pizza circles, placemats, and food-related paper and film/foil products for restaurants, caterers, and food preparation businesses.
• Janitorial Supplies Cleaning and maintenance supplies including can liners, chemical/sanitary items, towels, tissue, wipers, and rags for facility maintenance operations.
• Office Products General office supplies including copy paper, computer paper, envelopes, mailers, labels, and tags for office and institutional environments.
• Packaging Products Packaging and shipping supplies including corrugated cartons, boxes, chipboard, bubble wrap and foam cushioning, loose fill, kraft paper, newsprint, shrink film, stretch film, strapping, tape, mailers, masking paper, abrasives, and VCI/rust inhibiting products for industrial and shipping operations.
• PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) Personal protective equipment including cleaning disinfectants, gloves, masks, sanitizers, and wipes for workplace safety and infection control.
• Safety Items Safety supplies including absorbents and ice melt products for workplace safety and facility maintenance.
• Specials and Closeout Items Discounted and closeout items across packaging, janitorial, food service, and office product categories, promoted via closeout flyers and an expanded online packaging catalog.
• Expanded Packaging Catalog Expanded online packaging catalog at carterpaper.packagingcatalog.com offering the full product inventory across packaging, janitorial, office, food service, and safety categories.

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Better Business BureauminorOthersAffiliated with Better Business Bureau as an accredited business, demonstrating commitment to ethical business practices and customer satisfaction standards.
• AfflinkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAffiliated with Afflink, a supply chain management and distribution organization, likely providing access to broader product sourcing and distribution capabilities.
• Peoria Chamber of CommerceminorOthersProudly affiliated with the Peoria Chamber of Commerce, providing community visibility and local business networking opportunities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Imperial Dade: Distributor of janitorial, foodservice, and packaging supplies to a similar end-customer mix including schools, healthcare, hospitality, and industrial accounts. Operates at multi-regional scale with a model closely aligned to Carter Paper's category breadth.
• Quill: Office supplies and janitorial distributor targeting SMBs with comparable product breadth in paper, office, and facility supplies, operating via phone and online channels.
• Essendant: Wholesale distributor of office and janitorial products to resellers and end customers, with overlapping categories in paper, office supplies, and breakroom/foodservice items.
• Veritiv: Distributor of packaging, facility solutions, and print/publishing products to North American commercial customers. Highly comparable product mix in corrugated, paper, and janitorial/sanitation categories.
• Uline: Leading direct distributor of shipping, industrial, packaging, and janitorial supplies with a public-pricing catalog and next-day U.S. delivery. Most direct comparable to Carter Paper's product mix and B2B customer base, but at vastly greater scale and national reach.

Broad incumbents

• Office Depot: Office products retailer and distributor serving SMB and enterprise customers with comparable copy paper, envelopes, and office supply categories as a portion of Carter Paper's catalog.
• Bunzl: Global distribution and outsourcing group operating in janitorial, foodservice, and packaging. Comparable product categories though operating globally with consolidation-driven scale.
• Grainger: Broad-line MRO distributor serving industrial and commercial customers with significant overlap in janitorial, packaging, and safety categories. Larger and more diversified than Carter Paper but competes for the same procurement budgets.

Regional players

• Midland Paper: Mid-market paper and packaging distributor serving commercial printing and packaging customers in the U.S. Midwest, a geography overlapping with Carter Paper's Peoria-centric footprint.

Others

• AFFLINK: Distribution network of which Carter Paper is a member; provides member distributors with supply chain, sourcing, and marketing services. Relevant as a structural peer through Carter Paper's affiliation rather than as a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/boxitcarter

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Carter Paper & Packaging