You know those big plastic bins you see in mail rooms and post offices � the ones that say "US Postal Service" on them?
Minnesota Diversified Industries (MDI) makes them, and as the sole provider of the USPS Postal Tote, they've made a lot of them.
In mid-April, MDI proudly passed the 75 million mark, says Peter
McDermott, president and CEO. Everyone on the assembly line had a hand
in manufacturing the 75 millionth tote, according to MDI's website.
MDI's team is as remarkable as the milestone; the company employs people
with disabilities, offering "real jobs that create a sense of pride,
value and independence in our workers' lives," states the website.
The company has facilities in St. Paul, Grand Rapids. and Hibbing, and about half of its employees are people with disabilities.
The company works on a "triple bottom line" platform: the "social or
mission bottom line" that supports the career and technical development
of individuals with disabilities; the financial bottom line, sustained
by its competitive contracts with business customers; and the funding
bottom line, maintained through grants and contributions from government
entities, foundations, and individuals.
The company produces more than its original-product mail totes: plastic
trays, plastic boxes, plastic pallet covers, waterjet bricks, plastic
tree wrap, and other custom products.
Source: Peter McDermott, MDI
Writer: Jeremy Stratton