For Immediate Release
Brampton, Ontario
June 1, 2019
Debro strengthens existing footprint in Canadian Industrial Specialties market by acquiring Tartan Color and Chemical
Debro is delighted to announce that it has acquired Tartan Color & Chemical, a Canadian distributor primarily focused on the Industrial Specialties markets. The transaction makes Debro one of the leading independent distributors in Canada for Industrial Specialties, Food Ingredients and Home & Personal Care. Tartan is complementary to Debro in terms of markets served, supplier relationships, product offerings and customers.
Debro is acquiring 100% of the shares of Tartan, and the two companies will be amalgamated. Tartan was founded by Robert Houston in 1980, and was joined by his son David in 1989 following his graduation from Indiana University Bloomington with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry. In 2001, David became President of Tartan and under his successful leadership, the company has become one of the best-known Industrial Specialties distributors in Canada. David has made a long-term commitment to Debro and will be a significant investor of the joint enterprise going forward. His role will be President, Industrial Specialties.
Bill Heise, CEO of Debro, stated that, “We are excited to welcome David and the Tartan team to Debro. It was obvious very early in our discussions that the combined strengths of Debro and Tartan would create tremendous opportunities to grow our Industrial Specialties business, offer greater value to our supplier partners and provide a broader product portfolio for our customers”.
David Houston, President of Tartan stated that, “ I’m thrilled to be joining the Debro team and am confident that this transaction will provide an exciting opportunity for Tartan’s employees, suppliers and customers. I believe that this merger provides a perfect fit for Tartan and provides an excellent platform for further growth.”
Brian Imrie, Chairman of Debro stated that, “ I welcome David to Debro as a business partner and am excited that he is bringing his leadership to our combined Industrial Specialties business. I look forward to working with him through Debro’s 100th Anniversary in 2020 and for many years to come.”
About Debro:
Established in 1920, Debro is one of Canada’s oldest privately owned chemical distribution companies. For almost a century, we have built our success on delivering integrity, personalized customer service, and valued partnerships with our principals. Headquartered in Brampton, Ontario, our services are nationwide with warehousing partners in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Montreal.
About Tartan:
Founded in 1980 by Robert Houston, Tartan is a privately held Canadian-based chemical distributor representing a carefully selected range of high-quality products and services to a diverse group of major industries. Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, we provide technical expertise in every market we represent and support our clients with timely delivery, flexible distribution options and responsive, detail-driven customer service.