NEW YORK—Arsenal Capital Partners, a leading New York-based private equity firm that invests in middle-market specialty industrial, healthcare and financial services companies, has bought Para-Chem Southern. Concurrent with the transaction, Para-Chem has been merged with Arsenal’s platform investment, Royal Adhesives & Sealants.
“Para-Chem has a long history of innovation providing great solutions and service to its diverse customers,” said John Televantos, a partner at Arsenal Capital. “The acquisition of Para-Chem and merger with Royal represents an important milestone in our strategy to further build a leading adhesives, sealants and coatings business offering customized and proprietary solutions.” Headquartered in Simpsonville, S.C., Para-Chem offers specialty adhesives, coatings, polymers, surfactants and thickeners across a diverse range of markets in North America, including carpet.
Arsenal acquired Royal Adhesives on Nov. 29, 2010, its sixth investment of the year, to create an Adhesives Sealants and Coatings platform, and the transaction represents Arsenal’s continued focus in the specialty industrials sector, Televantos said. Arsenal’s current investments in the specialty industrials sector include Velsicol Chemical, a manufacturer of high performance chemicals used in agriculture and industrial applications, and Novolyte Technologies, a manufacturer of specialty electrolyte materials for lithium ion battery and energy storage.
Ted Clark, CEO of Royal Adhesives, said the acquisition of Para-Chem strengthens Royal’s technical expertise and approach of providing customers with specialty formulated products. “Royal’s experienced management team will partner with Para-Chem to accelerate global growth and expand the platform into new technologies and geographies.”
Bill Ward, COO of Para-Chem and now president of Royal, said Para-Chem’s technical capabilities will enhance Royal’s customized product offerings. “Together, we believe this positions the newly combined company to better address customer demands for flexible, high performance and quality products.”
Chris Bond, vice president of sales and marketing for Royalty, said although the company bought Para-Chem, owns the name and all the assets, it is going to do business as Royal Adhesives & Sealants. “We will continue to promote the Parabond brand for floor covering adhesives and put more of an emphasis on making the distinction between the branded product for flooring adhesives and the owner.”