Rotoplast Inc. has diversified by acquiring ACO Container Systems Ltd.
“It's a way to balance our portfolio,” said Rotoplast President Sébastien Daudelin in a phone interview April 19, when Rotoplast announced the deal.
Rotoplast is a custom rotational molder with a wide product range. ACO's main business has been its proprietary line of rotomolded storage tanks. Rotoplast, based in East Farnham, Quebec, also extends its geographic reach with the purchase of Pickering, Ontario-based ACO Container.
Daudelin said his company will continue operations at the Pickering site and has signed a long-term lease on the building. ACO's former owner, Stefan Assmann, won't remain on board.
Rotoplast runs four rotomolding lines in East Farnham, while ACO uses its single, large oven to make containers from 20 to 16,500 gallons. Rotoplast employs 32, vs. 20 workers for ACO.
“This first acquisition will help us extend our reach to other markets and clients,” Daudelin explained. He said his company will focus on integrating ACO into Rotoplast but in the long term it will be open to other acquisition opportunities.
Rotoplast was founded in 1994. Daudelin and his co-owner partner, Mathieu Arsenault, invested in the business in 2012, and last year bought out the other remaining private investor. They immediately established a strategy to grow by acquisition.
Rotoplast molds components for sports and transportation vehicles, boats and kayaks, filtration products, agriculture, display counters and safety products for roads and mines. Its ovens have capacities up to 16 by 6 feet. ACO's single rotomolding oven mainly makes proprietary polyethylene tanks but the operation also takes on custom jobs. Its oven is larger than what Rotoplast had prior to the purchase.
