Calder Capital is pleased to announce that C&K Box and Mulch Wholesalers of Jackson, MI have been acquired by an individual investor.
Founded in 1960, C&K Box manufactures wood packaging products such as pallets, skids, crates, boxes, corner posts, stakes, and custom products tailored to clients’ needs. C&K Box has been owned by the Stevens family for several decades, and Mulch Wholesalers was established by second-generation owner Mark Stevens in 1995 as a method to minimize waste produced by C&K Box. The two companies share a unique synergistic relationship.
The Companies were acquired by Dustin Ruth. Dustin has years of experience in business management, business ownership, and sales. “The symbiotic relationship of these two companies immediately stood out to me,” commented Dustin about the acquisition. “It’s rare to find two companies that are able to reduce waste and optimize sustainability so effectively. I’m excited to take it even further.”
After 46 years of involvement with C&K Box, the Stevens family is ready to take a step back. The family engaged with Calder Capital at the end of 2020 to find the right buyer for the Companies, either separately or as a package.
Sam Scharich and Ghazey Aleck, Mergers and Acquisitions Advisors at Calder Capital, partnered as the lead advisors on the transaction.
“Mark, Amy and the entire Stevens family were fantastic to work with,” said Sam Scharich. “They took the time to really understand how the process works and therefore made themselves flexible and open to a number of showings and conference calls. Seventy-four buyers signed NDAs and received CIM’s before an LOI was signed and the process was shut off. The speed at which buyers inquired, received answers to questions, spoke with owners, and conducted site visits led to a true limited-auction process which received three written offers and one verbal offer within four months. Dustin is getting two amazing, complementary businesses and is set up for success for many years to come.”
“The Calder team was incredibly helpful,” commented Mark Stevens. “Sam was supportive and enthusiastic with a willingness to answer questions at all hours of the day, and Ghazey assured our family all along the way that they could find the right buyer to continue the legacy created over 46 years. The process was very smooth, and we certainly couldn’t have done it without them.”
Calder Capital, LLC, served as the exclusive Mergers and Acquisitions Advisor to C&K Box and Mulch Wholesalers.
About C&K Box
Established in 1960, C&K Box manufactures wood packaging products, such as pallets, skids, crates, boxes, and more. The Company offers other services outside of manufacturing, including inventory management, computer-aided design, ISPM-15 heat treatment, and delivery. Starting in 1960 as two guys working hard for a single customer to a current staff of fifteen filling orders for dozens of customers, C&K Box has thrived for more than 60 years in the Michigan manufacturing market. C&K utilizes every edge to provide superior, affordably priced products to all their customers.
About Much Wholesalers
Mulch Wholesalers opened its doors on Barrett Avenue in 1995 to grind and color C&K Box’s clean wood waste into an earth-friendly alternative to the landfill.  With the pairing, the companies have proudly been “green” long before green was fashionable. C&K Box starts with lumber that can’t otherwise be used in the grade market to create key components to the material handling process, and Mulch Wholesalers extends that useful cycle to beautify the landscape of your home or business. Mulch Wholesalers stays open and relevant all year round selling ice melt products to professionals and homeowners alike. Â
