Arsenal Capital Partners has named Shawn Abrams as an Operating Partner in the firm’s Specialty Industrials Group. Mr. Abrams has 30 years of experience in the chemicals and materials industries, most recently serving as President of Grace Catalysts Technologies.
“We have developed a powerful team of Operating Partners and a network of executive advisors who represent top talent within their respective fields and they bring immediate value to our investments as we grow those businesses in their targeted industries,” said John Televantos, a Partner who co-heads Arsenal’s Specialty Industrials Group. “Shawn is an extremely talented leader who has extensive experience in running and growing specialty industrials companies and he greatly complements our existing team of executives.”
Mr. Abrams served for the past six years with W. R. Grace & Co., most recently as President of Grace Catalysts Technologies, whose products are used in refining, petrochemical and other chemical manufacturing applications. Prior to joining Grace, Mr. Abrams had over 17 years of experience in global industrial markets at Evonik Industries, where he held a variety of increasing senior leadership positions in sales and general management in the US, Germany, and Singapore. He began his career at FMC Corporation in their Industrial Chemicals group after receiving his BSME from Lehigh University in 1984. He received his MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management.
“Shawn brings strong leadership, management, and technical experience and a proven track record of building and growing global businesses. He has a distinguished career in the global chemicals and materials industries and we look forward to leveraging his expertise in a range of opportunities as we build strong and profitable businesses,” said Tim Zappala, a Partner at Arsenal Capital Partners and co-head of the firm’s Specialty Industrials Group.
Arsenal Capital Partners invests in middle-market specialty industrial and healthcare companies that have $50 million to $250 million in enterprise value. Industries of specific interest include specialty & fine chemicals; segments of healthcare; transportation and logistics; power generation; aerospace & defense; and process industry components and services. Arsenal has $1.7 billion of committed capital under management. The firm was founded in 2000 and has offices in New York and Shanghai (www.arsenalcapital.com).
Arsenal’s current investments in the specialty industrials sector include Dash Multi-Corp., a manufacturer of formulated polyurethane, vinyl plastisol, specialty coatings as well as recycled rubber products; IGM Resins, a provider of intermediates to the global ultraviolet radiation cure coatings, inks and adhesives industry; Chromaflo Technologies, a pigment dispersion provider to the architectural and industrial coatings and thermoset composites industries; Fluoro-Seal Holdings, a provider of plastic barrier, adhesion and surface enhancement products and services as well as manufacturer of value-added materials; Royal Adhesives & Sealants, a producer of adhesives, sealants and coatings, and; International Fiber Corporation, a supplier of cellulose‐based insoluble fiber products for food and industrial applications globally. Previous investments in the sector include Novolyte Technologies, Genovique Specialties, Velsicol Chemical, Sermatech International, and Vertellus Specialties.
© 2013 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 12-10-13
