Florence, Ala.—TMT America (TMT) has acquired a majority interest in HPS North America (HPS). The transaction became effective Sept. 16 with HPS becoming an operating subsidiary of TMT. The corporate offices for both TMT America and HPS will remain in Florence, Ala. TMT will provide operational, marketing, and consulting services as well as investments to accelerate HPS’s distribution and brand development growth throughout North America.
TMT is headed by Thomas Trissl, the founder and former president of Centiva. Trissl sold Centiva to Tarkett in November 2010 in an agreement that had him continuing to work with Centiva through April of this year. “HPS is a venture with so much potential given its strong association with Schönox and the hard working team at the company,” said Trissl. “The technology and innovation levels in the Schönox products are turning heads across the country and changing the way people are doing subfloor projects.” TMT is coordinating even stronger ties with Schönox, the German manufacturer of primers, repair mortars, floor leveling compounds, and adhesives that HPS is making available now across North America.
“We’re excited about the addition of TMT and Thomas Trissl to our depth of resources here at HPS,” said Enos Farnsworth, president of HPS North America. “Thomas’s experience in working with floor installers, developing flooring products, and growing entrepreneurial ventures will be an asset for us at HPS, but also to our customer base.” Trissl founded Centiva in 1996 with the idea to produce LVT flooring in the U.S. when conventional thinking had manufacturing moving overseas. Over the years, Centiva developed new production technologies and flooring designs using the highest levels of environmentally responsible manufacturing techniques.
Early signs of the TMT association with HPS are hard to miss at HPS’s corporate office in Florence. A renovation of the facility is underway with special emphasis placed on significantly expanding the amount of Schönox product that can be efficiently warehoused and shipped. “We were one of the first distributors to incorporate Schönox into our operations based on the clear performance advantages of the product,” said Steve Hagen, president of HiLine Unique Flooring in Minneapolis, Minn. “Adding TMT and Thomas Trissl to the HPS equation will enhance our opportunities and further support our customers.”