Property of Chet Nowlen

The photos and sketches shown on this BLOG are the property of Chet Nowlen. This collection of Digital images are available for $2 each. Please note the digital image you purchase will not have the watermark "Property of Chet Nowlen". I can only accept via PayPal @ https://paypal.me/Chetn?locale.x=en_US

Thursday, March 12, 2015

American Box Acquires Chicago Mill & Lumber Company

In 1983 Chicago Mill was owned by the Pritzker Family in Chicago, Illinois under a corporate conglomeration of which I cannot remember the name at this time.  Chicago Mill was sold to American Box Company out of Fernwood, Mississippi.  I was the only Chicago Mill employee that was transferred to Fernwood on a full time basis.  Bill Nye and Bill Hunt were kept on on a short term basis to help with the transition.

Chicago Mill specialized in the watermelon crate business and most of our watermelon crates were hinged collapsible crates.  I think American Box purchased Chicago Mill to gain a market share of the watermelon crates business.  The following sketch is a wire-bound crate watermelon version that I drew while I was with American Box.

In 1987 our competitors in a nearby town, purchased American Box and the name of the company became Great American Wirebound Box Company.  When we were acquired in 1987 I asked to not be offered a position with the new company.  I transferred back to the Greenville, Mississippi plant to help with the closed down of the Greenville operation.


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