23 June 2020

BDA advises Epolin Chemicals on sale to Chroma Color, an Arsenal Capital portfolio company

divested to

a portfolio company of

2020

BDA Partners is pleased to announce that its client, Epolin Chemicals, has been sold to Chroma Color Corp, an Arsenal Capital portfolio company. 

Epolin, based in Newark, New Jersey, is a global leader in near-infrared absorbing dyes and thermoplastic compounds. Epolin serves customers developing groundbreaking products in sensors, security inks, light filters, touch-screens, night vision products and eyewear. Epolin will operate as an independent subsidiary of Chroma, and will continue to maintain and invest in its strong customer and supplier relationships.

BDA Partners was the exclusive financial advisor to Epolin, and to its shareholder Polymathes Capital, on the transaction.

Tom Bolger, CEO of Chroma, said, “This acquisition of Epolin will contribute significantly to Chroma Color’s leadership in the colorants and additives industry. We are excited to add Epolin’s cutting-edge NIR Dye technology to our expanding product portfolio and the members of the Epolin team to the Chroma family.” 

Greg Amato, CEO, Epolin Chemicals, said, “The many advantages Epolin customers will enjoy as a result of this transaction, include access to Chroma Color’s extensive product development, testing and validation capabilities, which are of immense value. Epolin’s customers can now be served by Chroma Color’s R&D efforts, to deliver new solutions for the markets that both Epolin and Chroma Color serve.” 

Euan Rellie, Senior Managing Director, BDA New York, said, “We’re proud to have worked for Epolin to help engineer this transaction, and to have secured the ideal partner for our friends at Arsenal and Chroma. Epolin is a unique company, a global leader in specialised colorants and dyes. BDA has a strong track record in chemicals. This transaction represents a good outcome for all parties.”

About Epolin Chemicals

Epolin is the recognized leader in the development and manufacture of near-infrared absorbing dyes and thermoplastic compounds. Epolin’s materials add premium performance to laser & welding eyewear, security inks, light filters, touch screens and night vision products. Epolin was founded in 1983 and is located in the famous Ironbound neighborhood of Newark, New Jersey. www.epolin.com

About Chroma Color

Chroma Color Corporation is a leading specialty color and additive concentrate supplier serving a diverse range of markets, including packaging, healthcare, pharmaceutical, consumer products and others. Chroma Color’s growth strategy includes both robust organic and inorganic growth and has been built through six acquisitions over more than two years. Chroma’s extensive technical leadership and manufacturing expertise, coupled with its game-changing colorant and light management technologies, have delighted customers for over 50 years. www.chromacolors.com

About Arsenal Capital

Arsenal is a specialized private equity firm that focuses on investments in middle‐market specialty industrials and healthcare companies. Since its inception in 2000, Arsenal has raised institutional equity investment funds of $5.3bn, has completed more than 45 platform investments and has achieved more than 30 realizations. Arsenal invests in industry sectors in which the firm has significant prior knowledge and experience. The firm works with management teams to build strategically important companies with leading market positions, high growth, and high value‐add. www.arsenalcapital.com

About BDA

BDA Partners is the global investment banking advisor for Asia. We are a premium provider of Asia-related advice to sophisticated clients globally, with over 20 years’ experience advising on cross-border M&A, capital raising, and financial restructuring. We provide global reach with our teams in New York and London, and true regional depth through our seven Asian offices in Mumbai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo. BDA has deep expertise in the Chemicals, Consumer & Retail, Health, Industrials, Services and Technology sectors. We work relentlessly to earn our clients’ trust by delivering insightful advice and outstanding outcomes.

BDA Partners has strategic partnerships with William Blair, a premier global investment banking business, and with DBJ (Development Bank of Japan), a Japanese government-owned bank with US$150bn of assets. www.bdapartners.com

US securities transactions are performed by BDA Partners’ affiliate, BDA Advisors Inc., a broker-dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). BDA Advisors Inc. is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and SIPC. In the UK, BDA Partners is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). In Hong Kong, BDA Partners (HK) Ltd. is licensed and regulated by the Securities & Futures Commission (SFC) to conduct Type 1 and Type 4 regulated activities to professional investors.