Solenis (Wilmington, Del.) announced two acquisitions this week, Aqua ChemPacs, LLC and Lilleborg.
Headquartered in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, Aqua ChemPacs is a leading manufacturer of pre-portioned, concentrated liquid chemical packs utilizing low-carbon-footprint packaging.
Used in restaurants, retail stores, healthcare and educational facilities, arenas and event venues around the world, the company’s innovative ChemPacs dissolve easily in water so customers can produce a variety of high-quality cleaning and disinfection products on-site. ChemPacs provide precise portion control, require no messy mixing and help eliminate the risks associated with pouring chemicals from bottles. In addition, ChemPac products are concentrated and weigh less than traditional ready-made cleaners and disinfectants, so they are less expensive to ship, deliver and store. Because ChemPacs contain no plastic and are completely dissolvable in water, their use by customers helps ensure that less single-use plastic packaging ends up in landfills. Notably, several ChemPac products have also earned the coveted Green Seal Certification status for excellence in sustainability and production processes.
Commenting on the acquisition, Jim Marks, vice president and general manager of Solenis’ Institutional Solutions business in North America, said, “We are excited to welcome the Aqua ChemPacs team to Solenis and to add their eco-friendly cleaning and disinfection solutions to our Diversey portfolio. Every time a ChemPac is used instead of a plastic bottle, it’s a win for the planet and a testament to our mission of delivering value to customers by helping them solve their operational and sustainability challenges.”
Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, Lilleborg supplies professional cleaning solutions and is one of the leading companies in the Norwegian commercial market. Lilleborg has been a long-term partner with Diversey, a Solenis Company, driving value through deep, targeted expertise and customer insights with proven innovation and sustainable methods and products. The acquisition allows Diversey to expand into the Norwegian water treatment market with a direct channel, offering food and beverage customers an expanded portfolio of solutions.
Commenting on the acquisition, John Panichella, CEO, Solenis, said, “We’ve had a great partnership with Lilleborg for many years, working with our institutional and food and beverage business, so we’re extremely excited to welcome the Lilleborg team to the Solenis family. Lilleborg’s highly competent, motivated, and well-trusted sales, marketing and R&D teams will allow for significant opportunity to cross-sell water treatment when combined with Solenis’ expertise.”
“This transaction is a milestone in Orkla’s new strategy after becoming an industrial investment company. By reducing the number of portfolio companies and simplifying our structure, we pave the way for a more targeted and disciplined capital allocation in the portfolio. We are proud of the 190+ years of Lilleborg history, both before and during Orkla ownership – having built a strong and trusted company brand and a position as Norway’s market leader within its industry”, says President & CEO of Orkla, Nils K. Selte.
“Lilleborg has historically delivered solid financial results and showed resilience even in challenging market conditions, thanks to high-quality products and brands, and a competent, passionate organization. Given the longstanding collaboration with Diversey in the Norwegian market, we firmly believe that Solenis is the ideal new home for Lilleborg. We are confident that they will continue to foster the growth and success of Lilleborg in the future. Finally, we would like to thank CEO Silje Ebbell Tøge and the rest of the Lilleborg team for the dedication and hard work over decades and wish them all the best in their future endeavours”, says Maria Syse-Nybraaten, EVP and Investment Executive in Orkla.