By Emily Wangen

After a seven-month process, Minnesota Corrugated Box Inc. has been purchased by Georgia-based company Pratt Industries for approximately $70 million.

MCB was founded in 1983 with 12 employees and has grown to 150 in its years of operation.

It has been a privately-owned company and will continue to be as Pratt Industries is also privately owned. MCB supplies corrugated boxes and custom displays to more than 250 customers throughout the Midwest.

Pratt Industries is America’s fifth-largest corrugated packaging company and the world’s largest, privately-held 100 percent recycled paper and packaging company. It operates recycling centers, paper mills, corrugating plants, sheet plants, display facilities and distribution centers as well as one clean energy plant.

As profits rise, Pratt Industries has been looking to expand, according to a company publication. The new purchase of MCB has expanded Pratt Industries employee count to around 6,000 employees.

The merger will open the doors for expansion at MCB, said company President and CEO Thomas Krebsbach.

Within two years the hopes are to hire 15 to 20 new employees for the second and third shifts. Along with that, Pratt Industries has offered all current employees their same positions, as well as increased benefits.

The company will keep the name Minnesota Corrugated Box.

MCB operates five days per week with three shifts and ships out 20 to 30 loads of product daily.