Code Hennessy & Simmons LLC (“CHS”) announced that Kranson Holdings, Inc. (dba “TricorBraun”) has acquired Columbia Packaging (“Columbia”), a Canadian distributor of rigid packaging. Kranson Holdings, Inc. is a portfolio investment of CHS Private Equity V LP, a $1.3 billion investment fund formed in 2005.

Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Columbia provides glass and plastic packaging solutions for the vitamin and pharmaceutical, food and beverage, sports nutrition, and health and beauty end-markets. For additional information about Columbia, please refer to the company’s website at www.columbiapackaging.com.

Larry West, President and CEO of Columbia, said, “We are excited about the combination of our business with TricorBraun and the resulting resources and value that will be available to our valued customers.”

Founded in 1902, TricorBraun is the leading, full-service specialty distributor of outsourced rigid packaging solutions in North America. TricorBraun provides a comprehensive offering of more than 32,000 rigid packaging containers and related components as well as comprehensive package design, engineering and development services, global sourcing and logistics management. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, TricorBraun leverages the capabilities of a global network of over 600 suppliers to meet the unique packaging requirements of a diversified base of 9,000 customers. The company serves a variety of end-markets including personal care, healthcare, household and industrial chemicals, food and wine. For additional information about TricorBraun, please refer to the company’s website at www.tricorbraun.com.

Keith J. Strope, President and CEO of TricorBraun, said, “We are excited about the opportunity to team with Columbia. With Columbia’s significant presence in Western Canada and our business in Toronto, we will become one of the largest rigid packaging distributors in Canada. We look forward to working with Larry West and his highly capable management team to further grow our presence in Canada.”

The acquisition of Columbia represents TricorBraun’s eleventh strategic acquisition since 1996. Columbia fits well with TricorBraun’s strategy of acquiring select packaging distribution businesses with attractive growth potential. Management at TricorBraun and CHS remain highly active in identifying additional acquisition candidates to add to the TricorBraun platform.

CHS is a Chicago-based private equity firm specializing in private equity investments and recapitalizations of middle market companies in partnership with management. CHS targets well-managed companies focused on growth with enterprise values between $100 million and $1.0 billion. With particular expertise in the Distribution, Business & Consumer Services, Infrastructure & Industrial Products, and Consumer sectors, CHS has completed 72 platform investments and 173 add-on investments. Founded in 1988, CHS has formed five private equity funds and currently manages over $2.7 billion of capital. For additional information about CHS, please refer to the firm’s website at www.chsonline.com.