Sheet extruder Pacur LLC has acquired Carolex SAS, a similar firm based in France.

Oshkosh, Wis.-based Pacur and Carolex of Longue both make glycol-modified PET (PETG) sheet. In a Nov. 17 news release, Pacur officials said the deal "strengthens Pacur's medical device focus in Europe and extrusion capabilities to meet the global demands of customers."

They added that Carolex is Pacur's first acquisition and "extends the company's best-in-class customer service and reputation for quality into Europe." Pacur is acquiring Carolex from Epsotech Holding GmbH, a supplier of thick gauge extruded plastic sheet with seven other production sites in Europe.

No purchase price was disclosed in the deal. Pacur has been majority owned since early 2020 by private equity firm Gryphon Investors of San Francisco. The Carolex management team will remain in place, led by Managing Director Sylvain Forestier.

"The past two years have certainly highlighted how important the entire medical supply chain has become and have reinforced Pacur's commitment to increasing our global presence," Pacur CEO John Carlson said in the release. "We are excited to join forces with [Forestier] and the entire Carolex team and to develop a strong partnership in technology and customer satisfaction."

Pacur Chairman Craig Nikrant, a longtime plastics executive who is also a partner in Gryphon, said that Pacur "is very interested in pursuing additional acquisitions for other plastics processing-based businesses, which could support enhancing the value we deliver to our customers, medical device OEMs and value-chain partners."

Forestier said that under Epsotech, Carolex "strengthened our production capacity and developed a world-class service capability." Carolex has a core focus on packaging for the medical, pharmaceutical, food and specialist retail sectors.

Pacur makes extruded PETG sheet used primarily used in packaging for medical devices. Its sheet products also are used in specialty graphics, pharmaceutical packaging and food packaging.

Carlson became CEO of Pacur in August, replacing Barry Johnson, who retired. Johnson's brother, Ron Johnson, was Pacur's president prior to being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010 and re-elected in 2016.

When Gryphon acquired Pacur last year, Barry Johnson said that the Johnson family "will remain significant owners in the company." In a May 2019 U.S. Senate financial disclosure form, Ron Johnson reported that he had a 5 percent ownership interest in Pacur.

Carlson is a 30-year veteran of the health care and medical device industry. Prior to joining Pacur, he served as president of Flex Health Solutions, a $2.5 billion firm that focused on design, engineering services and contract manufacturing for the medical technology market. He previously held technology and innovation roles at Johnson & Johnson and its Ethicon Endo-Surgery division.

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