Lancaster Colony Commercial Products acquired by Lancaster Commercial Products, LLC
Columbus, Ohio (June 5, 2013) – Effective May 10, 2013, Lancaster Colony Commercial Products, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Lancaster Colony Corporation (Nasdaq: LANC), sold substantially all of its assets to Lancaster Commercial Products LLC, a privately held organization owned by Frederick Haleluk, whose additional holdings include Mr. Ice BucketTM, and Metallo Gasket of New Brunswick, New Jersey. The business now operates as Lancaster Commercial Products LLC under the direction of Ken Evans as President, who formerly served as President of Lancaster Colony Commercial Products, Inc.
This acquisition brings together two long-standing suppliers of hospitality, housewares and giftware products. Mr. Ice Bucket has been in business since 1965, with a majority of sales occurring in retail. Lancaster Commercial Products has a history that goes back to 1978 in the provision of quality, service, and selection to the hospitality/hotel, and restaurant markets with the design and manufacture of Wescon® guestroom products and lodging supplies, including custom wraps and room ensembles, ice buckets, trays, wastebaskets, amenities and accessories, eco-friendly recycle inserts for wastebaskets, and more. Building on those successes, Lancaster Commercial Products introduced several product lines to the retail market for the gourmet at home, such as bakeware, cookware, and crystal stemware collections.
“This is an exciting opportunity,” said Haleluk. “The transaction brings together two successful international companies with complementary product lines and reputable market brands. With our outstanding employees, and a combined history of more than 80 years in the hospitality arena, our customers can take advantage of increased scale, from faster delivery through multiple locations to a catalog of more styles, materials and price points than ever from a single source. We will plan for accelerated growth by leveraging our enhanced strengths in geographical coverage, production expertise, and customer relationships.”
Mr. Ice Bucket and Lancaster Commercial Products LLC will both operate independently under the common ownership of Haleluk, who will serve as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board.
According to Ken Evans, President of Lancaster Commercial Products, LLC, business will continue to be conducted as usual. “We remain committed to the mission of providing products and exceptional service to customers among our core markets,” stated Evans. “We do not foresee significant changes in key personnel or in the business agreements we have in place with our customers, suppliers or partners at this time.”
About Lancaster Commercial Products, LLC
Since 1978, Lancaster Commercial Products LLC has served hospitality/lodging, and foodservice/restaurant markets. The company’s Wescon® brand of lodging supplies and guestroom offers the largest selection available in styles, colors, price points, and materials such as wood, metal, plastic, vinyl or resin. Catalog product offerings include: custom wraps and room ensembles, ice buckets, trays, wastebaskets, amenities and accessories, eco-friendly recycle inserts for wastebaskets, custom binders, shower curtains, bath mats, and door knob tags. Lancaster Commercial Products also offers floor matting (foodservice, anti-fatigue, Nyracord, entrance, and physical fitness), glassware (mugs, stemware, drinkware and goblets), stirs and pics, and candles with diffusers. For the creation of a unique product matched to a specification, the company can build a prototype that is specific to a customer’s vision based on input, fabric remnants, color swatches, or sketches. Leveraging its success, the organization has transferred its core competencies in the delivery of quality products to chefs and hotel locations around the world to retail purveyors as well.
The company introduced the PENSOFAL® bakeware and cookware collection for the U.S.A. retail market at the 2013 International Housewares Association (IHA) trade show. This stylish and ergonomically-designed Italian made line features PFOA free, non-stick ceramic-based coatings and is distributed exclusively by Lancaster Commercial Products.
Lancaster Commercial Products is also the exclusive distributor of LUCARIS® titanium, lead-free crystal stemware for the United States retail market. A world class luxury brand, LUCARIS® selections boast the shape, thinness, clarity and smoothness found among the finest crystal glassmakers, with the added physical strength of titanium for the ultimate in durability. The LUCARIS® crystal stemware family encompasses five different lines and nearly 60 pieces, from high end to everyday shapes.
All of the organization’s retail products are offered through a national network of representatives.
Quality, American made products have been produced at the company’s 122,000 square foot manufacturing location, in Jackson, Ohio, since 1962. The company’s dedicated professionals, members of United Steelworkers, Local 2324-04, continue to bring expertise and stylish, durable items to customers among a vast array of industrial segments. Capabilities include thermoplastic injection molding, structural foam injection molding, vacuum thermoforming, assembly services, finishing and decorating, and design services.
About Mr. Ice Bucket
Since its beginning in 1965 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Mr. Ice Bucket has manufactured a range of American made ice buckets with production sizes from one to 100,000 units, including models made with green environmentally functional component parts. Throughout its history, the organization became known for its creative, innovative and technical capabilities, and expanded its product mix to include champagne buckets, wine coolers, décor-glassware, ice tongs, wine bottle openers, and stainless steel barware. Today, the company’s umbrella of brands includes Mr. Ice BucketTM, Shelton-WareTM, Buckets Plus, M.I.B. Designs, PaperworksTM, and Kover-Klad, which are supplied worldwide through the company’s distribution in South America, Hong Kong, Russia, and the U.S.A. The company’s products are carried by retail stores and hotels, as well as corporate award and incentive programs.
For more information, contact Vivian Khan, Director of Marketing, Lancaster Commercial Products, LLC Call toll free: 800-292-7260 or 614-263-2850. Fax: 614-263-2857. E-mail: info@lccpinc.com. Web: www.LCCPinc.com.
Agency Contact: Sally Stevens, Executive Vice President, Stevens Strategic Communications, Inc., E-mail sstevens@stevensstrategic.com, phone (440) 617-0100 ext. 202, fax (440) 614-0529
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