WOMEN CEO REPORT

Uihlein

U-line, Inc.

The Uihleins started Uline in their basement. They initially launched the company selling carton-sizers, which reduce boxes to a desired size. From there, the Uihleins went on to grow the company to become the continent’s leading distributor of shipping, packaging and industrial supplies, with a catalog of products 800 pages long.

Uline recently ranked No. 5 among Deloitte’s list of the largest privately held companies in Wisconsin, based on sales revenue. In addition to its Pleasant Prairie headquarters and Kenosha facilities, the company has distribution centers in Minneapolis; Allentown, Pennsylvania; Los Angeles; Atlanta; Dallas; Seattle; Reno; and locations in Mexico and Canada.

In a 2020 BizTimes interview, Liz described herself as a “merchant” who is focused on Uline’s ever-growing catalog of products, while Dick focuses on the bigger picture and expanding into new markets.