Novvia Group is buying Southern Container LLC, a distributor of packaging made from plastic and other substrates.
Southern Container, based in Dalton, Ga., distributes products including intermediate bulk containers (IBCs), plastic and steel pails and drums, and bottles. The company operates out of 300,000 square feet of space and has more than 80 employees, St. Louis-based Novvia said.
"The acquisition of Southern Container coupled with our existing Inmark business gives us a strong position in the Southeast market, which we believe is poised for outsized growth in the coming years," Novvia Executive Chairman Ken Roessler said in a statement.
Southern Container President Bill Smith pointed to his company's "exceptional distribution reputation in the Southeastern market for providing superior service along with our broad product lines."
Southern Container also recycles IBCs, which are commonly from high density polyethylene containers that are protected by a metal cages. These containers typically can 275 or 330 gallons of material and are attached to a pallet for transportation.
Novvia was created last year when Kelso combined a handful of regional packaging distributors the investment firm owns under a united name. "Novvia" comes from the Latin words "novus" meaning new and "via" meaning way.
Novvia also acquired packaging distributor Fox Valley Containers Inc of Crystal Lake, Ill., in October.
Southern Container uses four warehouses in Dalton and operates 17 trucks and more than 200 trailers, according to the company's website. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.