Charkit buys two in Carolina

Charkit Chemical has acquired Custom Ingredients, a manufacturer of speciality ingredients including chemical concentrates, natural oils, polymers and extracts, and CA Specialities, a distributor of ingredients in the personal care market in the South-Eastern part of the US. Terms were not disclosed.

CA was founded by Cathy Ayer Clark in 1987 and Custom Ingredients grew out of it in 1995, moving to Chester, South Carolina in 1995. Clark will continue to lead both, reporting to Jay Lang, president of Charkit, which is itself a subsidiary  of LBB Specialties.

Custom Ingredients is known mainly for the trade name CustoBlend, which are described as “speciality concentrates allow formulators to incorporate more ingredients, without the complexity of manufacturing and stocking multiple items”. Most are cold-processable for speedier, less expensive manufacturing, Charkit said.

According to Charles Hinnant, CEO and president of LBB Specialties, this is typical of the group’s expansion strategy. “We are looking for companies that would fall into the ‘tuck-in’ category - up to $50 million - as well as larger businesses in the range of $100m which would become platform companies along with Charkit and AIC,” he said.

“Of particular interest are companies with a large brand identity and owners who are not quite ready to retire and want to manage the growth of their individual brands under the auspices of LBB.”