Mid America Products, Inc history

The Fargo Foundry, established in 1905, is located near the Red River at 92 N.P. Avenue.

Beginning in 1941 and lasting through the turbulent year of World War II, a sprawling 15,867 acre site near Pryor Creek and Chouteau, Oklahoma teemed with over 10,000 employees working in a government-owned, DuPont-operated power plant.

By 1948 he had learned the workings of the business and had opened a new division based in Atlanta.

Superpool prices, intermarket movements of milk, health department regulations and other regional relationships needed to be addressed on a regional basis." In April 1964, a federated cooperative called Associated Dairymen was formed.

In 1966 the St Louis-Ozarks Marketing Agency (SLOMA) was formed by three co-ops in southwest Missouri: Sanitary Milk Producers, Producers Creamery Company, and Square Deal.

By March of 1968 the SLOMA co-ops were close to an official merger.

The most important of these was the agreement between Omaha-based Central States Dairy Cooperative and St Paul-based Twin City Milk Producers Association to merge with Mid-America in December 1969.

Upon final approval in April 1970, the newly strengthened Mid-America could boast annual sales of $355 million.

Adverse developments in farm legislation, as well as a 1973 antitrust suit filed by the United States Justice Department, also took a toll on the co-op.

At the beginning of 1975, price supports were still at a minimum and Mid-Am was faced with the difficulty of fairly allocating its recent losses among its members.

Mid America Display’s parent company, Boxes Inc., was established in St Louis in 1977.

In July 1978, the firm opened an additional facility in Bismarck.

On December 10, 1979, Jack’s three sons, Jerry, Mark, and David purchased Tydings Wholesale in Enid.

In 1981, Mid-American Benefits, Inc. was founded by Lee Johnson and Alex Mcpherson.

One of Agway's subsidiaries, H. P. Hood, agreed in 1982 to sell a half-interest in its Clearfield Cheese Company to Mid-America.

In 1985 Mid-America bought H. P. Hood's remaining interest but then quickly sold the processor to Schreiber Food Company, the nation's second largest cheese business, in order to realize a $1.2 million gain on the investment.

In 1986, Northwest and Enid Wholesale purchased a 50,000 sq. foot building (our current location) to help continue its growth and success.

In 1989 he retired from the board after 47 years with Curtis 1000 and then ABP. During those years he guided the business from a small company with $13 million in annual sales, to a national corporation with five operating companies, a European joint venture, and annual sales of over $387 million.

During the first half of 1990, the cooperative lost $6.1 million due to a market saturated by such products as milk and cheese.

The cooperative received a Select Supplier Award from Campbell Soup Company in December 1991 as well as several quality awards from the National Milk Producers Federation.

Discount Labels, Inc. was acquired by ABP in 1993.

He started Mid American Water, in Aurora in 1994.

Then in April of 1995, David sold his remaining stock to Mark, giving him sole ownership of Northwest/Mid-America Wholesale.

In January of 1996, Mid-America purchased Bloom’s Meats, allowing them to have their own meat processing facility.

In 1997 ABP planned to begin using the Internet to allow dealers to design and place label orders online.

Darren and Derek spent weekends and summers "interning" at MAW. After Darren graduated from Kansas in 1998, a second branch was opened, Mid American Water of Wauconda, which Darren would eventually manage.

In 2005, Boxes Inc. recognized an opportunity to form Mid America Display as a subsidiary focused on custom product display and signage.

Starting in 2014, Mid America will move into the retail market for convenience stores.