Medline Industries History

History
Founded in 1966, Medline’s roots date back to 1910 when A.L. Mills, the great grandfather of the current owners, started sewing butcher’s aprons in Chicago. He was approached by nuns from a nearby hospital who worked as both nurses and seamstresses who asked his help with the sewing of the surgeons’ gowns and nurse’s uniforms. Medline continues to be the leading supplier of gowns and scrubs to the healthcare industry. Medline manufactures and distributes more than 300,000 medical devices and support services through more than 1,700 sales representatives who are dedicated points of contact for customers across the continuum of care, including hospitals, nursing homes, surgery centers, physician offices, home care dealers, home health agencies and retail outlets.

Leadership
Family-led since 1910, Medline is managed by the fourth generation of the Mills family: Charlie Mills, chief executive officer; Andy Mills, president; and Jim Abrams, chief operating officer. All assumed management in 1997.

Company Highlights:

• $17.5 billion in overall annual sales; 50+ years of consecutive revenue growth
• Headquartered in Northfield, Illinois, Medline employs more than 27,000 employees worldwide and conducts business in more than 125 countries and territories
• Distributes more than 300,000 medical products from 50+ distribution centers across North America
• Operates more than 25 different product divisions to serve entire continuum of care including: 

• 20+ manufacturing facilities in the U.S. spanning incontinence products, lotions, infection prevention products, patient plastics, raw materials and OTCs

• In 2020, donating needed medical supplies to international aid organizations, Medline gifted the equivalent of 513 metric tons of product valued at more than $4.6MM
• Skills-based volunteer program, lending employee expertise in global health settings
• 760+ Service Corps members committed to making a positive social and environmental impact
• Diverted more than 1 million pounds of waste from the landfill in 2020, reprocessing more than 5.4MM instruments through our ReNewal Reprocessing program
• A Sustainable Packaging Lab, consisting of a cross-functional team that reimagines packaging for a more sustainable future
• Our Green Product Portfolio, making the search for sustainable products simple
• Since 2016, Medline has invested $12.6MM in solar energy globally
• 94% of Medline distribution space is LEED certified, and nine locations are certified to ISO 14001
• Five active Employee Resource Groups
• Ethical Sourcing Program committed to implementing systems and controls to prevent slavery, forced labor and human trafficking from occurring