The Millcraft Paper Company was founded in December 1920 by Pauline and Harold Keil as a small stationery and invitation merchant serving the Cleveland area. Over Millcraft’s 100 years, the company’s ownership and leadership has spanned four generations of the Keil family, including Jane (Keil) and Stuart McKinney; Katherine (McKinney) and Charles Mlakar; and current President and CEO Travis Mlakar. With sole proprietorship passing to Pauline Keil in 1956 – and subsequently on to her daughter, Jane, and granddaughter, Katherine – Millcraft thrived as a woman-owned business for three generations and more than 60 years.
Cleveland has always been home to Millcraft with two early downtown addresses at 750 Superior Avenue and 1927 East 19th Street. Since 1971, Millcraft’s corporate headquarters and Cleveland sales and distribution division have been co-located at 6800 Grant Avenue in Cuyahoga Heights.
Millcraft’s first 60 years established its standing as a premier fine paper merchant serving the Midwest commercial printing industry with early expansions into Ohio, Indiana and western New York. Since the 1980’s, the company has used strategic acquisitions and an adaptive product and service platform to gain market share across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New York and West Virginia. Among its key acquisitions: Daka Paper (Erie, 1983); Cleveland Paper (1986); Hull Paper (Dayton 1989); Merchants Paper (Cincinnati, 1991); Niagara Paper (Buffalo, 1995); American Paper (Detroit, 2000); Clark Envelope (Cleveland, 2003); Paper Plus Stores (Detroit, 2004); Standard Paper (Detroit, 2005); Ariva (assets, Covington, KY, 2013); Brown Paper (Greenwich, CT, 2015); Ideal Mobile Canning (Indianapolis, 2020). Today, Millcraft proudly serves a national customer base with a diversified product offering of printing and office papers; industrial, retail and luxury packaging; sign and banner materials; food and beverage packaging supplies and services; mailing and shipping supplies; and more.
Millcraft’s consistent success derives from an unwavering commitment to the guiding principles of its founders to “positively and meaningfully impact the people we work with every day – our co-workers, customers, supply partners, families, communities and friends.”
Millcraft has been honored with numerous business awards over the years, including: The Ohio 200; Women’s Business Enterprise Star Award; NAWBO Top 10 Women Business Owners; Crain’s Fast 50; Smart Business Smart 50; Printing Industries of America Best Workplaces in America; and Best and Brightest Companies to Work For.