July 17, 2012 – Headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK with additional production facilities in Irvine, CA and Charlotte and Madison Heights, MI, CASS is engaged in the formulation, manufacturing, and marketing of specialty chemicals, focused on complex adhesives, industrial composites, and coatings. The company specializes in applications involving epoxies, urethane, and polyester chemistries and serves diverse end markets including automotive, aerospace and defense, electronics, commercial and residential floor coatings, and infrastructure repair.
The company was co-founded by Doug Frans, who has been a principal shareholder and CEO since 1998. He will continue as an investor and CEO of the company. Don Stanutz, Managing Director of Akoya and its Specialty Chemical Sector leader, will join the Board of CASS.
For Akoya, CASS represents its second significant platform in Specialty Chemicals. “We are delighted and honored to be partnering with Shoreview and Doug and Kyle Frans on this opportunity”, said Don Stanutz. “CASS Polymers is a well managed business in attractive growth sectors of differentiated and formulated chemical businesses. We’re excited about the prospects of building upon the CASS platform with both organic growth opportunities and add-on acquisitions.”
The CASS acquisition is consistent with Akoya’s investment strategy of combining world-class executives, well positioned companies, and well-developed value creation strategies to create significant value for management and investors. “What differentiates Akoya is our deep domain expertise and our sector-led approach that delivers proprietary deal flow and exceptional leadership teams in our three areas of focus; Specialty Chemicals, Consumer Foods, and Workplace Safety”, said Max DeZara, Managing Partner of Akoya. In executing this transaction, Akoya partnered with Minneapolis-based ShoreView Industries. ShoreView has a strong track record of investing in the middle market, having completed 44 deals and with $600 million currently under management.
About Akoya Capital LLC
Akoya is a private investment firm that sponsors transactions in lower and middle market businesses with attractive growth prospects. At the core of our investment strategy is partnership with proven and talented operating executives across various industries as well as executing very specific strategies in Consumer Foods, Specialty Chemicals, and Workplace Safety.
The principals of Akoya have collectively been involved in over 35 acquisitions, divestitures, mergers, direct investments, capital raisings, and restructurings across a broad range of industries, in addition to having hands-on operating, human capital, and organizational development expertise.
