Corrugated Specialties of Fort Smith acquires Texas company

Fort Smith-based Corrugated Specialties has purchased Century Corrugated Container Corp of Kilgore, Tex., according to a Tuesday (May 23) press release.

Corrugated Specialties is a manufacturer of corrugated boxes and specialty packaging items. Rick Watson, president and COO, called Century “a good fit for our family,” noting his company was “glad to welcome them as part of our operation.”

The Kilgore facility is an 86,000 square-foot plant with 12 employees and plans to add 40 more full-time employees by the end of 2017. The plant serves Shreveport, Dallas and Houston, and will continue to do so under terms of the purchase.

Corrugated Specialties chairman and CEO Paul Henson said Century marks the third acquisition by the company in its 47-year history and the first outside the state of Arkansas.

“Our product offerings are similar and we felt like the timing was right to add to our capacity,” Henson said. Corrugated is owned by Henson’s daughters, and was founded by William R. Henson, Sr., in 1971.

The company has a 90,000 square-foot manufacturing and warehouse facility at 4700 Wheeler Ave. in Fort Smith and employs 60 people. It serves many local markets, including Little Rock, Tulsa, Joplin, and Northwest Arkansas.