Swander Pace Capital Sells Lavo to KIK Custom Products

BURLINGTON, Ontario–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Swander
Pace Capital
, a leading private equity firm specializing in consumer
products companies, has sold Lavo
Inc.
, a leading manufacturer and marketer of laundry detergent,
household cleaners, fabric softeners and bleach in Canada, to KIK Custom
Products Inc.

Lavo has been selling high-quality products for more than a century. The
company’s brands include La Parisienne, Hertel, Springtime,
Old Dutch, Arctic Power and ABC.

“The strong heritage of these brands and world class capabilities served
as the foundation of our growth strategy,” said Roger Dickhout, Chief
Executive Officer of Lavo. “Our ability to leverage best practices from
other Swander Pace companies, continue to build the company’s core
competencies, capitalize on growth opportunities, and successfully
integrate the Arctic Power and ABC brand acquisitions were
critical drivers of value creation. We are pleased that KIK can help
create future opportunities for the company.”

“We are grateful to the Lavo team and all of our employees for their
hard work and contributions during our ownership,” said Andrew Richards,
managing director of Swander Pace. “We look forward to watching the team
continue to grow and flourish as part of the KIK organization.”

Sawaya Segalas & Co., LLC served as exclusive financial advisor to Lavo
and Swander Pace Capital, and Stikeman Elliott LLP acted as legal
counsel to Lavo and Swander Pace Capital on the transaction.

About Swander Pace Capital

Swander Pace Capital (SPC) is a private equity firm that invests in
companies that are integral to consumers’ lives. SPC’s consumer industry
expertise informs the firm’s strategic approach and adds value through
access to its proven SPC Playbook, senior team and extensive network.
The firm partners with management teams to help build companies to their
full potential. SPC invests in businesses across three domains of
consumer lifestyles: Food & Beverage, Body & Wellness and Home & Family.
With offices in San Francisco, New Jersey and Toronto, SPC has invested
in more than 45 companies and raised cumulative equity commitments of
approximately $1.8 billion since 1996. For more information, visit www.spcap.com.

About Lavo

Lavo is the leading independent manufacturer and marketer of laundry and
cleaning products in Canada. Lavo distributes and markets under owned
brands La Parisienne, Hertel, Springtime, Old
Dutch
, Arctic Power, and ABC. These brands carry a
strong reputation among Canadian consumers, and are sold in grocery
stores, pharmacies, mass retailers, and warehouse clubs. Lavo is also a
leading private label laundry product supplier, and markets bulk bleach
to the industrial sector.

Contacts

LANE (on behalf of Swander Pace Capital)
Jeff Segvich, 503-546-7870
[email protected]