Transaction Further Enhances Brook + Whittle's Leading Position in Shrink Sleeve Labels
NEW YORK, May 6, 2020 — Brook and Whittle Holdings, Corp. (“Brook + Whittle”), a leading provider of pressure sensitive and shrink sleeve prime labels, has expanded its shrink sleeve capabilities with the acquisition of a label converting facility in Croydon, Pennsylvania (“Croydon”). Croydon manufactures shrink sleeve labels for a variety of consumer and healthcare end markets for many of the leading customers and brands in North America.
The acquisition significantly enhances Brook + Whittle’s strong position as a leader in the supply of high-end shrink sleeve labels in North America, while also providing additional capacity to support a growing pressure sensitive film label business. Croydon, formerly known as Gilbreth Packaging Solutions, helped pioneer the shrink sleeve labels market over 40 years ago as one of the first to introduce gravure printing on shrink film. Croydon was in part responsible for the development of the full-bodied shrink sleeve label. Croydon engineers solved art distortion problems on high shrink films. The site’s innovative solutions to new packaging challenges help customers differentiate their products in today’s retail environment.
“Croydon is a unique business based on their depth of experience in and knowledge of the shrink sleeve category, which remains a significant strategic focus for us,” stated Mark Pollard, CEO of Brook + Whittle. “We are eager to focus our combined efforts on sustainable packaging solutions and to utilize the operational capabilities that Croydon provides to more effectively serve our growing customer base.”
Croydon’s facility leadership team and employees will continue to be responsible for site’s day-to-day operations. “We have a strong history of innovation, product quality and technical knowledge,” added Brian Garnett, General Manager of Croydon. “Partnering with Brook + Whittle, a market leader in our industry, will greatly enhance that value proposition to customers and provide significant growth opportunities in the market that we can take advantage of.”
Brook + Whittle is majority owned by private equity firm Snow Phipps Group, L.L.C. (“Snow Phipps”). This acquisition is the second add-on transaction that Brook + Whittle completed since Snow Phipps’ initial investment in October 2017. In November 2018, Brook + Whittle acquired Prime Package & Label. “We are extremely pleased to make Croydon a part of Brook + Whittle,” said Don Sturdivant, Chairman of Brook + Whittle and Operating Partner at Snow Phipps. “The site will play a critical role in supporting Brook + Whittle’s growth strategy in both shrink sleeve and pressure sensitive labels.”
“We are very excited to complete another acquisition of a well-regarded label converter to support Brook + Whittle,” added Gerald Sheehan, Partner at Snow Phipps. “We are focused on partnering with leading label converters that enhance the Brook + Whittle platform, and will correspondingly continue to make significant investments in the business.”
About Brook + Whittle
Brook + Whittle is a leading technically-oriented North American manufacturer of premium prime label solutions with highly differentiated capabilities, entrusted by some of the largest global brands. The Company provides pressure sensitive labels, shrink labels and medical packaging, with a focus on sustainable packing solutions and decorative effects requiring significant technical expertise. With a heritage rooted in product development and comprehensive in-house manufacturing operations, the Company draws on its wide variety of specialized printing expertise, including flexographic, rotogravure and digital, to create unique decorated labels across a range of substrates. Brook + Whittle operates six production facilities in North Branford, CT, Guilford, CT, Amherst, NY, Croydon, PA, St. Louis, MO and Nashville, TN. To learn more about Brook + Whittle, visit brookandwhittle.com.
About Snow Phipps Group
Snow Phipps is a private equity firm focused on lower middle-market control investments with $2.8 billion of total capital commitments raised since its founding in 2005. The firm generally focuses on companies in attractive sub-sectors across the Industrials, Services and Consumer industries and targets platform investments with enterprise values ranging from $100 million to $500 million. The Snow Phipps investment team collaborates with its Operating Partners and portfolio management teams to create value through an operationally focused strategy often led by organic or acquisition-driven growth. To learn more about Snow Phipps, visit www.snowphipps.com.
