In its third acquisition so far this year, Brenntag has acquired Marlin Company, based in Lenoir, North Carolina, USA.

Marlin provides custom chemical blending and packaging services for liquid and powder products to customers in the US Mid-South region. The German-headquartered distributor said the acquisition further strengthens its value-added service strategy as well as the mixing and blending business of Brenntag North America.

Markus Klähn, member of Brenntag Group’s management board and CEO of Brenntag North America, said Marlin puts it in the perfect position to expand the group’s offerings to the surfactant household, industrial and institutional blending industry.

“With Marlin we will now be in a position to extend the level of service we provide to our existing customers in the area of specialty equipment and custom blending and packaging,” said Anthony Gerace, Brenntag Group’s managing director for mergers & acquisitions. “Specifically, Marlin’s emulsion and dispersion blending capabilities create additional value for our partners and expand Brenntag’s commitment in this important field.”

Marlin generated sales of $7 million in fiscal 2018. Brenntag did not divulge financial details of the transaction.

The other two acquisitions Brenntag announced earlier this year were also in the US. In March, the group revealed it had bought New England Resins & Pigments (NERP), based in Woburn, Massachusetts. NERP mainly supplies the coatings and construction, adhesives and other specialty industries. In January, Brenntag said it had agreed to buy the lubricants division of Texas-headquartered Reeder Distributors.