Packaging Acquisitions in Illinois

SupplyOne, a national value‑added packaging distributor, has acquired Wertheimer Box, a long-established corrugated packaging provider based in McCook, Illinois. The deal expands SupplyOne’s Midwest/Chicago footprint and strengthens its custom corrugated and e-commerce packaging capabilities.

Novolex has completed its combination with Pactiv Evergreen Inc. in a transaction valued at approximately $6.7 billion (including net debt), with Pactiv Evergreen shareholders receiving $18.00 per share and Pactiv Evergreen delisted from Nasdaq. The combined company will operate under the Novolex name, expanding manufacturing footprint, product breadth and R&D capabilities across food, beverage and specialty packaging markets.

Trimco Group, backed by Brookfield Private Equity, has acquired Nexgen Packaging, a US-based provider of apparel brand identification and packaging solutions. The add-on acquisition expands Trimco’s North American footprint, integrates Nexgen’s sales and manufacturing network, and extends Trimco’s ProductDNA platform and sustainability offerings to more US brands.

Granite Creek Capital Partners provided growth capital to support a management-led buyout of Seedbox Solution, with co-investments from Everside Capital Partners and Hidden River Strategic Capital. The financing positions Seedbox to expand its seed-box wash/repair and rental services, accelerate 'smart box' technology deployment, and the firm named Peter Lehman and Jim Zimmer to the company's board.

Labelink, a Montreal-based North American packaging-printing manufacturer, has acquired International Label & Printing Co., Inc. (IL&P), a Chicago-based printing converter. The acquisition expands Labelink's U.S. footprint and brings IL&P's legacy labeling and converting capabilities into the Labelink USA platform to better serve consumer packaging customers.

Veritiv has acquired all assets of PAX Global, a US-based packaging solutions provider with approximately $45 million in annual revenue. The deal adds folding carton and film converting capabilities, enhances Veritiv's design and international sourcing, and brings PAX Global's customers in the personal care, food, and pharmaceutical sectors into Veritiv's network.

Specialized Packaging Group (SPG), a portfolio company of Altamont Capital Partners, has acquired Clark Foam Corporation, a Bolingbrook, Illinois-based custom foam and protective packaging manufacturer. The add-on expands SPG's engineered packaging capabilities and Midwest footprint, adds approximately 50 employees, and sees Clark Foam owner Jim Clark retire from day-to-day operations while remaining on as an advisor for a transition period.

Supremex Inc. (TSX: SXP) has acquired the assets of Forest Envelope Group, a regional specialty envelope manufacturer located in Bolingbrook, Illinois, for approximately US$1.8 million on a cash-free, debt-free basis. Supremex says it will integrate Forest Envelope's activities into its nearby U.S. plants in Naperville and Chicago as a tuck-in to expand Midwest capacity and realize synergies across its U.S. envelope network.

Inteplast Group has acquired Brown Paper Goods (now operating as Brown Paper Products) and will integrate the business into its Integrated Bagging Systems (IBS) division. Brown Paper Goods is a Safe Quality Food (SQF) certified manufacturer of single-use paper packaging with operations in Waukegan, Illinois and Coppell, Texas; the transaction closed on April 2, 2024.

CORE Industrial Partners has completed the acquisition of General Converting, a Bolingbrook, Illinois-based folding carton manufacturer serving food, confectionery and consumer brands. The deal combines General Converting with CORE's recent investment in Century Box to form a new folding carton platform that expands geographic reach, capabilities and customer exposure across attractive end markets.

GHK Capital Partners LP completed the acquisition of JohnsByrne, a premium folding carton packaging and specialty print solutions provider headquartered in Niles, Illinois. GHK said the investment will support JohnsByrne's organic and inorganic growth, diversify its product portfolio and strengthen its customer-focused sales strategy.

TJC LP (TJC) has acquired Soteria Flexibles Holdings LLC from Ardian. Headquartered in Carol Stream, Illinois, Soteria is a North American flexible packaging manufacturer that Ardian built into a multi-plant platform through add-on acquisitions; financial terms were not disclosed.

KDV Label, a Wisconsin-based custom label manufacturer, has acquired Selective Label & Printing of Sugar Grove, Illinois. The deal expands KDV's Midwestern footprint and adds Selective's digital and flexographic converting capabilities while Selective's president, Michael Brucher, will remain in a leadership role and become a shareholder of KDV.

Novvia Group, a Kelso & Company-backed national rigid container and life sciences packaging distributor based in St. Louis, acquired Northern Container, a rigid packaging distributor operating a 35,000 sq. ft. facility in Alsip, Illinois. Financial terms were not disclosed; the deal expands Novvia's Midwest footprint and augments its product and service capabilities (next-day delivery, steel/plastic pails, paint cans, bottles and jars).

Massman Companies, a packaging machinery manufacturer based in Villard, Minnesota, has acquired Ultra Packaging Inc., a Chicago-based designer of vertical and horizontal automated cartoning machines. Granite Partners assisted Massman in the transaction; the acquisition expands Massman's product portfolio to offer full-line packaging solutions including cartoning, shrink wrapping, and case packing.

Resource Label Group, a Franklin, Tennessee-based pressure-sensitive label and packaging platform (and Ares Management portfolio company), has acquired Chicago-based Deco Flexible Packaging. The acquisition is an add-on to Resource Label’s growing platform and expands its presence in the Midwest while strengthening its flexible packaging and pressure-sensitive label capabilities.

Central National Gottesman Inc. (CNG) — through its Lindenmeyr Munroe and Kelly Spicers distribution organizations — has acquired Lewis Paper International, a family-owned distributor of paper, packaging and wide-format products headquartered in Addison, Illinois. The transaction transfers six Lewis Paper facilities across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Colorado to Lindenmeyr Munroe (Midwest) and Kelly Spicers (West) to boost regional inventory, service and geographic coverage.

Graphic Village, a Cincinnati-based print marketing provider backed by Revitalize Capital, has acquired Sunrise Hitek Group, a Chicago-based variable-data, large-format printing and display fabrication company. The acquisition expands Graphic Village's geographic footprint into the Chicago market and adds Sunrise Hitek's ~25 employees and production capabilities to the platform.

Brook + Whittle has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Diamond Flexible Packaging, a third-generation family-owned flexible packaging and converting company based in Northbrook, Illinois. The deal adds five in-house pouch lines and bag-making capabilities to Brook + Whittle's platform, strengthening its wide-web printing capabilities and expanding its addressable end markets across food, cosmetics, nutritional, beverage and healthcare.

Lewisburg Printing Company (a portfolio company of Radial Equity Partners) has merged with Huston Patterson and its specialty division Sigma Graphics. The deal combines complementary printing and packaging capabilities to expand LPC's geographic reach, product offerings and platform for further growth; terms were not disclosed.

ProAmpac, a Cincinnati-based flexible packaging company owned by Pritzker Private Capital, has acquired Prairie State Group (PSG), an SQF-certified flexible packaging and labeling provider based in Franklin Park, Illinois. The deal expands ProAmpac's labeling, pouching and sustainable packaging capabilities and strengthens its presence in the food and pet food end markets; terms were not disclosed.

Charlesbank Capital Partners has acquired BOX Partners, a family-owned, technology-enabled wholesaler of packaging, shipping and industrial supplies headquartered in Elgin, Illinois. The deal—funded with equity and debt and marking the company's first outside equity—positions BOX to expand product categories, geographies and e-commerce capabilities; Neil Thomas will become CEO and the company's co-founder and president will step down.

Oak Hill Capital and CPP Investments have entered into a definitive recapitalization agreement with Berlin Packaging, with the Berlin Packaging management team (led by CEO Bill Hayes) making a significant co-investment. The recapitalization will support Berlin Packaging’s next growth stage, including expanding digital and e‑commerce capabilities, sustainability initiatives, and continued accretive acquisitions and international expansion.

Novvia Group, a Kelso-backed packaging platform, has acquired Fox Valley Containers, a Crystal Lake, Illinois-based distributor of plastic, metal, corrugated, and glass rigid packaging products. The deal expands Novvia's national distribution footprint and capabilities in the Upper Midwest; financial terms were not disclosed and the existing Fox Valley management team will remain in place.

GenNx360 Capital Partners’ portfolio company B2B Industrial Packaging has acquired Direct In Supply, a packaging, industrial and janitorial supplies distributor headquartered in Oregon, Illinois. The deal is an add-on to B2B’s platform to broaden its product offering and customer reach as part of GenNx360’s roll-up strategy since its 2020 investment in the platform.

KKR has signed a definitive agreement to invest in Charter Next Generation (CNG), joining Leonard Green & Partners as an equal co-owner. A wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) will also invest as a minority owner; the capital will support CNG's growth in specialty films and sustainability initiatives.

Resource Label Group, a PE-backed label and packaging manufacturer, has acquired Cypress MultiGraphics, adding two Midwest facilities in Tinley Park, Illinois and Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. The acquisition, completed by Resource Label (a portfolio company of First Atlantic Capital and TPG Growth), expands Resource Label's manufacturing footprint and capabilities in durable labels, nameplates and overlays.

Duraco Specialty Tapes, an OpenGate Capital portfolio company, has acquired Filmquest Group, a converter and supplier of polyester (PET) and specialty films headquartered in Bolingbrook, Illinois. The undisclosed-value transaction is an add-on that expands Duraco's product offering into specialty films for the flexible packaging market and will keep Filmquest's existing president in place.

ACON Investments has acquired Novipax, the U.S. market leader in absorbent pads for fresh meat and poultry packaging, from Atlas Holdings. The transaction transfers Novipax's absorbent pad manufacturing facilities and headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois, to ACON, while the tray business is excluded from the sale and will operate separately as NPX ONE.

Argand Partners has acquired Midwest Can Company and Container Specialties, Inc., a Franklin Park, Illinois-based manufacturer of portable fuel containers and custom blow-molded plastic containers. Argand plans to partner with management to accelerate new product development and expand geographic penetration; the transaction was supported by a loan facility from Benefit Street Partners and represents a purchase from GenNx360 Capital Partners.

Nosco, Inc. (a subsidiary of Holden Industries) has acquired the assets of Haapanen Brothers, Inc., a full-service graphic arts and printing company in Gurnee, Illinois. The acquisition adds folded-literature and Lit‑a‑Sure capacity, specialty bindings and a seventh U.S. site to Nosco's packaging/print operations, improving redundancy and capability to serve healthcare and other customers.

Wind Point Partners-backed U.S. Nonwovens has acquired the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) packaging division of Multi-Pack Holdings LLC (doing business as Multi-Pack Chicago). The acquisition adds unit‑dose water‑soluble PVA packaging capabilities to USN’s portfolio, expanding its product offering in the retail laundry and dish detergent end markets and will be integrated as a division of U.S. Nonwovens.

The Eastern Company (NASDAQ:EML) acquired 100% of Big 3 Precision Products, Inc. and Big 3 Precision Mold Services, Inc. from TVV Capital for $81.7 million. The acquisition expands Eastern's engineered/returnable packaging and mold-tooling capabilities, is immediately accretive to earnings, and supports Eastern's strategy to grow EBITDA and pursue bolt-on acquisitions.

Warburg Pincus has agreed to acquire Pregis LLC, a leading manufacturer of protective packaging materials and automated systems, from Olympus Partners for an undisclosed amount. Pregis will continue to be led by CEO Kevin Baudhuin as Warburg Pincus partners with management to accelerate growth, expand capabilities in e-commerce enablement and automation, and build on recent European expansion.

Pretium Packaging has acquired Olcott Plastics, a St. Charles, Illinois-based injection molder and maker of jars and closures, expanding Pretium's personal care/beauty packaging capabilities and national product offering. The transaction was sponsored by Genstar Capital and retains Olcott's existing employees and management.