MDI, Minnesota Diversified Industries, a leader in manufacturing corrugated standard and custom plastic packaging solutions, is turning 60 years old this year and is celebrating their anniversary in October. It is the perfect month as October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
The nonprofit social enterprise stemmed from an idea from Sister Anne Marie Myers, who worked with children who had disabilities while they were in school. She was concerned about what was going to happen to these children after they were finished with school. Sister Myers convinced John Durand, a graduate from the University of Minnesota to commit a couple of years of his life to figuring out what the business could look like. Durand ended up spending his entire career with MDI and felt that the best thing that could be done for people with disabilities was to provide them employment, an opportunity to give them respect, and bring value to what they do.
What started as an agreement with one customer has turned into helping hundreds of businesses with their packaging needs from making totes and trays to kitting and assembly serivces. MDI now has over 400 employees in locations: Minneapolis, Roseville, Hibbing, Grand Rapids, and Cohasset.