PLZ Aeroscience acquires Champion Brands
With this acquisition, aerosol and liquid product manufacturer PLZ expands its full-service automotive and industrial offering, positioning the firm to better serve its customer with a comprehensive suite of aerosol and non-aerosol products.
Founded by Ralph Lowe in 1956 and with more than 65 years of market leadership, Champion has one of the largest product portfolios in the industry. Champion produces more than 300 functional fluids and performance products including brake fluid, fuel treatments, semi-synthetic and full-synthetic additives and speciality motor oils.
Champion operates a 450,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Clinton, Missouri and serves customers across automotive, heavy-duty, agricultural and performance racing markets.
“We are excited to welcome Champion Brands to PLZ,” said Aaron Erter, PLZ’s president and CEO.
“Champion is a market leader within the automotive aftermarket industry and we look forward to leveraging their capabilities across our combined enterprise to strengthen the value proposition we bring to customers.
“Champion is an incredible addition to PLZ as we continue growing our speciality automotive and industrial footprint across North America.”
Champion is led by Matt Lowe, the third generation of Lowe leadership at the company. Lowe will remain with Champion following the transaction.
“I am thrilled for Champion to become part of the PLZ family,” said Lowe. “We look forward to leveraging PLZ’s extensive industry experience and national footprint to help grow Champion in the years to come.
“Together with PLZ, we will propel the combined company forward into its next chapter as we continue to deliver exceptional innovation quality and service to our customers.”
Headquartered outside Chicago, PLZ is owned by Pritzker Private Capital. With its support, PLZ has continued to grow organically through acquisitions, including four in the last two years – Precise Packaging and Liquid Technologies in 2019, and Mansfield-King and Custom-Pak Products in 2020.