Windjammer Capital Investors ("Windjammer") is pleased to announce the acquisition of Rowmark LLC ("Rowmark" or the "Company"), a leading manufacturer and marketer of highly-engineered extruded plastic sheet and accessories to the engraving, signage and awards markets, from Bertram Capital.
"Rowmark is an established market leader with strong brand recognition, supported by state-of-the-art manufacturing and an unmatched understanding of the market channel and new product development," said Rob Quandt, Managing Director at Windjammer. "The Company is led by a solid, experienced management team that has built a platform with robust operating fundamentals, long standing customer relationships and a proven track record of consistent growth. We are excited about the future of Rowmark, as we fuel and accelerate the Company's growth."
Headquartered in Findlay, OH, Rowmark delivers solutions through two primary and complementary divisions: Rowmark, a manufacturer of engravable sheet products; and Johnson Plastics Plus, a leading distributor to the signage and engraving markets. Rowmark is the most recognized global brand of engravable sheet products worldwide, sold exclusively through an international network of authorized owned and independent distributors in more than 80 countries. Johnson Plastics Plus has built a solid reputation over the last 30+ years as the renowned distributor of engraving and complementary products to the professional engraver.
"We are excited about our partnership with Windjammer and the growth opportunities on the horizon," said Rowmark President and CEO Duane Jebbett. "We believe in Windjammer's strategic approach, and the alignment of our values point to a promising future for our employees, our industry partners, and most importantly, our customers."
Windjammer's investment creates a platform for Rowmark to build upon its strong foundation to accelerate its growth, both organically through investment in new product development and greater market penetration, and through strategic, add-on acquisitions.
"A core element of Windjammer's investment strategy is its commitment to creating shareholder value through performance and operational enhancement initiatives. With these strategies and our values in alignment, Windjammer looks forward to collaborating with Rowmark to reach its full operating potential," said Greg Bondick, Managing Principal at Windjammer.
If you would like additional information or have any questions related to this transaction, please contact Rob Quandt or Greg Bondick at 781-530-9100.
Kirkland & Ellis provided legal counsel and Alvarez & Marsal provided transactional due diligence. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
About Rowmark
Founded in 1987 in Findlay, OH, Rowmark manufacturers extruded plastic sheet for engraving applications. Rowmark is the leading supplier of engravable plastic sheet for the signage, engraving and awards markets and is the most recognized brand in the industry. For more information, visit www.rowmarkllc.com.
About Windjammer
Windjammer Capital is a national private equity investment firm, based in Newport Beach, CA and Waltham, MA that invests control equity in middle‐market businesses and in partnership with management. Windjammer manages over $2 billion of committed capital with respect to its control equity investment strategy, and since its founding in 1990, has completed over 50 platform acquisitions and over 100 strategic add‐ons. The firm targets investments in companies that are leaders in attractive niche markets and share several of the following characteristics: significant and defensible market positions; differentiated products and services; strong management teams; scalable business models; identifiable growth opportunities; and consistent financial performance.