Mid America Paper Recycling (MAPR), a fourth-generation leader in paper and recycling solutions, is celebrating its 100 year anniversary, marking a century of continuous operation serving suppliers, paper mills, and industrial packaging partners across North America.
Founded in 1926, Mid America has grown from a local scrap operation into a trusted recycling partner known for its deep market knowledge, operational discipline and long-standing customer relationships. Over the past century, the company has built its reputation by helping businesses increase revenue, reduce costs and improve sustainability outcomes through smarter management of their recyclable materials.
“For 100 years, this business has been built on relationships,” said Don Gaines, a fourth-generation leader of the company. “Markets change. Customers change. But what doesn’t change is how you show up, being genuine, sharing your knowledge and helping people find better ways to operate. That’s what earns trust over time.”
Unlike many companies in the recycling brokerage space, Mid America’s approach extends well beyond buying and selling commodities. The company brings a consultative, operations-driven service model by conducting on-site audits, mapping material flow and identifying inefficiencies across the recycling stream. By improving segregation, enhancing bale integrity, aligning grades with the right mill demand and streamlining logistics across multi-site plant networks, Mid America transforms recycling from a cost center into a more disciplined, value-generating part of a packaging firm’s operation.
A key differentiator has been the company’s ability to match specific grades of recyclable material to the right end markets, which helps minimize costly downgrades and maximize value for customers. Combined with a high-touch service model and deep mill relationships across the U.S., this expertise enables Mid America to consistently deliver measurable results for packaging, printing, and manufacturing customer partners.
Published April 2026
