KDC (The Knowlton Development Corporation), a contract manufacturer of health and beauty-care products headquartered in Longueuil, Québec, has acquired the Kolmar Labs Group companies: Kolmar Laboratories Inc. and Acupac Packaging Inc. Kolmar is a New-York-based custom formulator and manufacturer of color cosmetics, personal care and skin care products, offering Product Development, R&D Innovation, QA/QC services, regulatory services and manufacturing solutions for beauty and skin care brands. Kolmar Laboratories and Acupac Packaging together employ 500 full-time employees in state-of-the-art facilities totaling over 340,000 feet.
 
This acquisition follows the 2014 recapitalization of KDC by parent company NOVACAP, through its NOVACAP Industries IV, in partnership with La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, Investissement-Québec, Export Development Canada (EDC), Fondaction CSN and other institutional partners.
 
While KDC is active in many personal care categories, such as deodorants, hair care, bath and body, and skin care, Kolmar represents its first foray into the Color Cosmetics category. KDC says it envisions Kolmar as a growth platform in its portfolio of enterprises, as it will allow it to diversify its offer and develop new market possibilities, by leveraging the scale and core competencies of its combined network of companies, facilities and clients.
 
“We believe that this category has strong business fundamentals and significant growth prospects,” said Nicholas Whitley, president and CEO of KDC. “We were particularly attracted to Kolmar’s innovation-based business model, its strong physical plant and equipment technologies, its outstanding customer base, and, most of all, its team of talented, highly skilled professionals. KDC, Kolmar and Acupac have very similar operating principles and business cultures, representing from the onset a strong alignment. We will welcome some of Kolmar’s and Acupac’s best practices into our business, while also exporting some of our best practices. The synergies from our alignment will bring benefit to all.”
 
Robert Edmonds, president and CEO of Kolmar Labs Group, said “KDC is a strong, proven leader in the outsourcing business, and we feel that this will be a tremendous combination which will add value for customers, employees and all stakeholders, leading to a very bright future for both companies.”