Kelso & Company Acquires Container Supply; Combines with Existing Investments in C.L. Smith, Inmark, and Silver Spur

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Funds managed by Kelso & Company (“Kelso”) have acquired Container Supply, Inc. (“Container Supply”), a distributor of metal and plastic packaging products. Container Supply will be combined with Kelso’s existing investments in C.L. Smith, Inmark, and Silver Spur, distributors of rigid container, life sciences, and dangerous goods packaging products. Financial terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK, Container Supply is a distributor of cans, drums, pails, bottles, and other rigid packaging products serving a variety of customers and end markets. Container Supply has developed long-tenured customer relationships and provides high levels of service via its 50,000 square foot warehouse and national supplier base. Container Supply’s existing team will remain in place to drive the company’s next phase of growth.

“Over its long history, Container Supply has established a leading reputation in its markets based on a track record of providing high-quality products and differentiated customer service,” said Sandy Osborne, Managing Director at Kelso. “We are excited to welcome the Container Supply team to the broader organization as we seek to expand our presence in the South-Central region and deliver additional resources and capabilities to our customers,” added Alec Hufnagel, Managing Director at Kelso.

Greenberg Traurig, LLP served as legal advisor to Kelso.

Calvert Law served as legal advisor to Container Supply.

About Container Supply

Container Supply is a rigid packaging distributor headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK. For over 55 years, Container Supply has supplied a wide range of drums, pails, bottles, tinplate cans, and other rigid packaging products serving a diverse array of end markets. Container Supply has a track record of providing high-quality service to customers throughout the South-Central region. For more information, please visit csiokc.com.

About C.L. Smith

C.L. Smith is a premier rigid packaging provider with over 45 years of industry experience. Headquartered in St. Louis, MO, C.L. Smith provides full stocking distribution, custom packaging design and manufacturing, and turnkey hazardous material shipping solutions. Exceptional customer care and service are core to C.L. Smith’s operational philosophy and corporate culture. For more information, please visit www.clsmith.com.

About Inmark

For over 45 years, Inmark has been a trusted source for rigid container, temperature-controlled, specimen transport, used medical device, and dangerous goods packaging. Headquartered in Atlanta, GA with locations in Europe, Asia, and North America, Inmark has become a respected leader in developing packaging solutions for businesses globally. For more information, please visit www.inmarkpackaging.com.

About Silver Spur

Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Cerritos, CA, Silver Spur supplies a specialty portfolio of high-quality glass and plastic bottles, jars, caps, and closures to a variety of end markets. Silver Spur has developed a large, diverse, and growing customer base with numerous direct and distribution relationships throughout the U.S. For more information, please visit silverspurcorp.com.

About Kelso

Kelso is one of the oldest and most established firms specializing in private equity investing. Since 1980, Kelso has invested over $15 billion of equity capital in 132 transactions. Kelso was founded by the inventor of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and, as a result, the principles of partnership and alignment of interest serve as the foundation of the firm’s investment philosophy. Kelso benefits from a successful investment track record, deep sector expertise, a long-tenured and stable investing team, and a reputation as a preferred partner to management teams and corporate partners. Kelso has significant experience investing in and supporting high-growth distribution and packaging platforms. The firm is based in New York, NY. For more information, please visit www.kelso.com.