ICP Building Solutions Group Acquires Gardner-Gibson, a Leading Supplier of Roofing Products and Driveway Sealers

The collective strengths of two companies will deliver value for customers, professionals and end users

ANDOVER, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Innovative Chemical Products (“ICP Group” or “ICP”), a leader in specialty coatings, adhesives and building envelope solutions, announced today that it has acquired Gardner-Gibson and Sun Coatings (“Gardner-Gibson”), a leading manufacturer of liquid-applied roof coatings, roofing products, driveway sealers and specialty paints primarily serving professional contractors for commercial and residential applications. The acquisition builds upon ICP Group’s extensive line of building solutions and global distribution network and creates one of the largest privately held coatings and adhesives companies in North America.

“The Gardner-Gibson acquisition and combination with ICP Group will strengthen the product offerings and distribution network for both companies,” said Doug Mattscheck, CEO, ICP Group. “We were strong individually and will be even stronger together as we enhance our portfolio of coatings, adhesives and building envelope solutions. ICP Group welcomes the Gardner-Gibson employees to the ICP family and looks forward to supporting the continued growth of the combined businesses.”

Based in Tampa, Florida, Gardner-Gibson is one of the leading providers of liquid-applied roof coatings, roofing products, driveway sealers and specialty paint, and is recognized for its industry-leading brands. With manufacturing and distribution facilities across the U.S. and Canada, Gardner-Gibson’s products are sold in leading retailers and building supply distributors under the Gardner®, Black Jack®, APOC® and Dyco® brands.

The integration of Gardner-Gibson into ICP’s Building Solutions Group unites premier brands to offer a wide range of products for roofing, building envelope and flooring applications primarily serving commercial facilities and repair and maintenance applications.

“ICP Group has the infrastructure, networks and experience to take Gardner-Gibson to new levels of success,” said Sean Hyer, CEO, Gardner-Gibson. “We’re looking forward to working together and delivering more value to our customers, retail partners and distributors for years to come. It’s an exciting time to be at Gardner-Gibson as we enter this new era of innovation and product expansion with ICP.”

Lazard Middle Market served as financial advisor and Foley & Lardner LLP served as legal counsel to Gardner-Gibson on the transaction. Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel to ICP Group on the transaction, and J.P. Morgan, BMO, Antares Capital and Goldman Sachs provided the financing.

For more information about ICP, visit www.icpgroup.com.

The ICP Group is a portfolio company of Audax Private Equity.

About ICP

Innovative Chemical Products (“ICP Group”) is a leading manufacturer of specialty coatings, adhesives and sealants. With operations headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, and multiple manufacturing facilities around the world, ICP serves multiple end markets, including building envelope, packaging and specialty print. ICP Group is privately held and manufactures products under several recognized specialty groups. For more information, visit www.icpgroup.com.

About ICP Building Solutions Group

ICP Building Solutions Group is the foremost supplier of professional coatings, adhesives and sealants for building envelope and flooring needs. Comprising dozens of industry-leading brands across numerous industries and applications, ICP Building Solutions Group offers the industry’s most comprehensive portfolios to building professionals all over the globe. For more information, visit www.icpgroup.com.

About Gardner-Gibson

Gardner-Gibson, Inc., serves professional contractors and DIYers as a full-line manufacturer of roof, driveway and waterproofing coatings, caulks and sealants. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Gardner-Gibson operates manufacturing and distribution facilities across North America. For more information about Gardner-Gibson products, as well as project resources and application tips, visit www.gardner-gibson.com/.

About Audax Private Equity

Audax Group is a leading alternative investment manager with offices in Boston, New York and San Francisco. Since its founding in 1999, the firm has raised over $27 billion in capital across its Private Equity and Private Debt businesses. Audax Private Equity has invested over $6 billion in more than 135 platforms and over 900 add-on companies, and is currently investing out of its $3.5 billion, sixth private equity fund. Through its disciplined Buy & Build approach, Audax seeks to help platform companies execute add-on acquisitions that fuel revenue growth, optimize operations and significantly increase equity value. With more than 250 employees and over 100 investment professionals, the firm is a leading capital partner for North American middle-market companies. For more information, visit the Audax Group website, www.audaxgroup.com.