ProMach strengthens flexible packaging portfolio with acquisition of CL&D Graphics

ProMach, a worldwide leader in packaging machinery solutions, announced today it has acquired CL&D Graphics and CL&D Digital.

CL&D is a leading provider of high-quality flexographic and digital web packaging and converting solutions for consumer product companies. The addition of CL&D significantly expands ProMach’s portfolio of flexible and rigid packaging systems and strengthens its ability to provide complete machinery and material solutions for a broad range of packaging applications.

CL&D Graphics offers roll-fed film and pressure-sensitive labels, shrink sleeves, pouches, lidding, and preprinted thermoform solutions to consumer packaged goods companies across North America. They provide complex, high-quality graphics for most unsupported film applications in the marketplace, along with research and development expertise in new product design as well as on-site technical support for packaging solutions. Additionally, CL&D Digital produces short run, production quality prototypes and promotional samples to help bring products to market quickly with no minimum orders and rapid delivery for companies of all sizes. CL&D is GMP certified by the American Sanitation Institute to print both food contact packaging and non-food contact packaging and their innovations have earned numerous awards and certifications from the Flexible Packaging Association and Great Lakes Graphics Association.

“We’re pleased to welcome the CL&D team to ProMach,” said Mark Anderson, ProMach President and CEO. “ProMach is always looking for new and unique ways to bring more value to our customers and CL&D changes that narrative for many of our clients in the flexible packaging space that have wanted a single-source partner who can provide a more complete and total solution including both materials and machinery. This proven model has served us well with our industry leading brands like ID Technology and I’m confident this will be the case with our flexible packaging partners as we move forward. I am excited to work with the outstanding senior leadership team at CL&D as they continue helping ensure their customers’ products stand out on the store shelves and stand apart from the competition.”

Brian Dowling founded CL&D Graphics in 1978 with Ed Flaherty and a single press in a small shop in Waukesha, Wisconsin. His vision of becoming a world-class flexographic printing company continued with his son Michael Dowling, current Chairman and owner. Under his tenure, CL&D has expanded over the last decade into a 24/7 operation, with four locations across Wisconsin and South Carolina operating numerous flexographic and digital presses.

“For over forty years, we’ve worked to become the printer of choice for CPG companies across North America,” said Michael Dowling. “From our humble beginnings we’ve grown into one of the premier partners of customers from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies, I’m extremely grateful to our employees, without whom none of this would have been possible. From our locations in Hartland, Oconomowoc, and Rock Hill, our terrific team is the reason we’ve been able to help turn my father’s vision into a reality.”

Hartland, Wisconsin-based CL&D and its over 280 employees are joining the ProMach team. Current CL&D President and CEO Mike Hokanson will join ProMach as Vice President and General Manager.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with Mike for the last six plus years and he has made a huge difference in our strategic vision and direction,” added Michael Dowling. “I look forward to helping support Mike as he leads CL&D forward as part of ProMach. With ProMach, we have a partner that has a strong and well-earned reputation in the packaging machinery marketplace, and they will help us expand our capabilities, accelerate our pace of innovation, and above all else help create additional value for our customers across the United States and Canada. We are looking forward to working with the entire ProMach team to continue this journey we embarked on so long ago.”

“The CL&D team excels at helping build brands through packaging, and their strong customer focus and mentality of being easy to do business with is perfectly aligned with ProMach’s philosophy and approach of how we work with our over 55,000 customers across the world,” said Don Deubel, ProMach Senior Vice President, Flexibles & Trays. “CL&D complements a broad range of the ProMach portfolio, capable of partnering with our strong leading product brands like Matrix, Bartelt, FLtècnics, Modern, Axon, P.E. Labellers, Serpa, and more to provide a complete solution to the marketplace with film, labels, machinery, and a full range of support including parts and service. Constant innovation from CL&D and all ProMach product brands means we are able to meet our customers’ current needs as well as anticipate future needs to ensure we are there to support them every step of the way.”