News

Sentinel Capital Partners has acquired Nekoosa. Financial terms weren’t announced. Nekoosa, of Nekoosa, Wisconsin, makes specialty paper and film products used in the graphics and commercial print markets.

PRESS RELEASE

NEW YORK, November 2, 2017 – Sentinel Capital Partners, a private equity firm that invests in promising companies at the lower end of the middle market, today announced the acquisition of Nekoosa, a leading manufacturer of specialty paper and film products used in the graphics and commercial print markets. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Headquartered in Nekoosa, Wisconsin, Nekoosa produces a comprehensive suite of specialty engineered materials in four key product areas: application and pressure sensitive tapes used to protect and transfer graphics onto surfaces such as store windows and commercial vehicles; specialty synthetic papers that offer a digitally printable tear-and-water-proof alternative to lamination; sheeted digital and offset grade carbonless paper; and extruded film products used in wall panel, credit card, and lighting applications. Through a network of more than 1,000 global distributor partners, Nekoosa serves a highly-diverse base of more than 70,000 commercial print and graphics shops in 65 countries.
“Nekoosa gives Sentinel an opportunity to partner with a differentiated industry leader that draws on a unique, niche product offering that is considered the ‘gold standard’ in its markets,” said Scott Perry, a partner at Sentinel. “Nekoosa has enhanced its leadership position through its highly-specialized operational expertise, unparalleled distribution network, and excellent corporate culture committed to developing a first-class employee base. We are thrilled to partner with Nekoosa’s highly talented and committed management team.”
“Nekoosa has a long, successful track record of innovation, leadership, and growth driven by dedicated employees,” said Paul Charapata, CEO of Nekoosa. “In the last five years, we have successfully executed four add-on acquisitions and have developed a playbook for the identification and integration of complementary businesses. We look forward to working closely with our new partners at Sentinel to continue this positive trajectory.”
The past 12 months have been highly productive for Sentinel. Besides acquiring Nekoosa, Sentinel made four other platform investments—Altima Dental, the largest dental services organization in Canada; Cabi, a leading direct marketer of women’s fashion apparel; MB2 Dental Solutions, a rapidly-growing dental service organization with a unique physician-centric ownership model; and SONNY’S Enterprises, the worldwide leader in conveyorized car wash systems. During this same period, Sentinel sold Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants, an iconic and innovative drive-thru restaurant chain; National Spine & Pain Centers, a leader in interventional pain management; Playcore, a North American designer, manufacturer, and marketer of a broad range of play, park, and recreation products; Power Products, a leading global provider of branded electrical products and systems; and WellSpring Consumer Healthcare, a portfolio of high-performing OTC healthcare brands.

About Sentinel Capital Partners
Sentinel Capital Partners specializes in buying and building businesses at the lower end of the middle market in the United States and Canada in partnership with management. Sentinel targets aerospace and defense, business services, consumer, distribution, food and restaurants, franchising, healthcare, and industrial businesses. Sentinel invests in management buyouts, recapitalizations, corporate divestitures, and going-private transactions of established businesses with EBITDA of up to $65 million. Sentinel also invests in special situations, including balance sheet restructurings and operational turnarounds. For more information about Sentinel, visit www.sentinelpartners.com.
About Nekoosa
Nekoosa is a leading provider of specialty engineered papers and films for the graphics and commercial print markets. Nekoosa’s expertise spans coating, converting, and custom plastic extrusion capabilities, with a product offering that includes application tapes, specialty synthetic papers, carbonless papers, and capping films.  The Nekoosa family of brands includes Nekoosa Coated Products, RTape Corp., CET Films, and ClingZ. For more information, please visit http://www.nekoosa.com/.