RICHMOND, VA · February 17, 2006 · Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc. announced today the successful management buyout of PolyOne Corporation’s (NYSE: POL) Engineered Films business unit. The buyout was led by the unit’s management team along with an investor group formed by Matrix. Senior financing for the transaction was provided by LaSalle Business Credit, a unit of ABN Amro.
Matrix served as the exclusive financial advisor to the management team and arranged the financing for the $27 million transaction. The new company will be named O’Sullivan Films, Inc. Denis Belzile, who headed the unit for PolyOne and is President and Chief Executive Officer of the new company, stated, “This is the best outcome for all involved because it provides continuity for our customers, suppliers, employees and the communities we are part of. The Matrix team led by Bill Weirich, Jeff Moore and Rob Mason did a fantastic job in helping us put this MBO together. We have an experienced, stable management team that knows the business well, and we are excited at the opportunity before us.”
Jeffrey Moore, President of Matrix Capital Markets Group, who will serve on the board of directors of O’Sullivan Films, noted, “This transaction is a very good fit with our firm’s capabilities, and we look forward to supporting the team in place. We believe the business has excellent potential.” Ron Kerdasha, Senior Vice President of LaSalle Business Credit, added, “From our perspective as a senior lender, it was a pleasure to work with the professionals at Matrix. Their expertise in these types of middle market transactions was a real value-add for their client and was very helpful to our underwriting group from start to finish.”
O’Sullivan Films and its new owners will build on a legacy of customer service, quality and strong brand recognition that dates to 1896. The Geon Company, a predecessor of PolyOne, acquired O’Sullivan Plastics in 1999. Geon, and then PolyOne, marketed the highly regarded O’Sullivan® brand as part of their engineered films product line. The new owners decided to use O’Sullivan as the new entity’s name.
O’Sullivan Films is a leading provider of customized, high-performance polymer films for use in diverse applications, including automotive instrument and door panels, flooring, wall coverings, notebook covers, and pool liners. The company’s expertise extends to film-finishing technologies such as embossing, laminating and painting.
Completion of the transaction follows PolyOne’s September 27, 2005, announcement that it had signed a letter of intent to sell the Engineered Films unit. PolyOne’s Engineered Films unit, a leading provider of customized, highperformance plastic films, had 2005 revenues of $120 million.
About Matrix Capital Markets Group
Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc. is an independent, advisory focused, privately-held investment bank headquartered in Richmond, VA. Since 1988, Matrix has provided merger & acquisition and financial advisory services for privately-held, private-equity owned and publicly traded companies. Our primary advisory services include company sales, asset divestitures, recapitalizations, management buyouts, capital raises of debt & equity, corporate recovery, fairness opinions and valuations. Matrix has served clients in a wide range of industries, including industrial manufacturing and distribution, building products, business services, consumer products, healthcare, lumber and petroleum marketing & distribution. For additional information, please visit www.matrixcmg.com.
Securities offered by Matrix Private Equities, Inc., an affiliate of Matrix Capital Markets Group, Inc., Member FINRA, SIPC.