Rowmark LLC has strengthened its market reach in engravable plastic sheet by acquiring Johnson Plastics.
Johnson Plastics is a major distributor of engravable plastic sheets and products for sublimation printing of textiles and other materials. Based in Bloomington, Minn., near Minneapolis, the company has nine branch locations in the United States.
“We want to maintain our good distribution network,” explained Rowmark President and CEO Duane Jebbett in a phone interview. Rowmark's main manufacturing operation is in Findlay, Ohio, where it is headquartered. It works with distributors around the world.
“Also we will learn more about customers,” Jebbett added. Johnson Plastics has worked directly with clients in signage and other industries while Rowmark has mainly sold its manufactured products for engraving through distributors, including Johnson Plastics, with which it has partnered in the marketplace for more than 30 years. Jebbett said Rowmark will continue to work with other distribution companies as well.
Rowmark announced the Johnson Plastics deal on June 4 but it did not disclose terms.
Johnson Plastics is a tradename for Signcaster Corp. The company started in 1970, selling plastic and magnetic products used by sign shops to produce vacuum formed signs.
“By combining our resources and streamlining our operations, we can continue to deliver high quality products in effective means to meet the market demands,” stated Johnson Plastics President Mike Johnson in a news release.
Rowmark mainly extrudes acrylic and ABS sheet. Premier Material Concepts, a sister company also based in Findlay, extrudes ABS, thermoplastic polyolefins and high impact polystyrene for thermoforming applications. PMC earlier this year installed a Welex coextrusion line to boost its sheet capacity by more than 25 percent and the sister companies are adding more floor space in Findlay to accommodate sales growth.
“Bertram remains committed to driving growth of the Rowmark platform through organic initiatives and additional add-on acquisitions,” noted Kevin Yamashita, partner at Bertram Capital, majority owner of Rowmark since 2013. Bertram is a private equity based in San Mateo, Calif., with more than $850 million in capital under management.