New York state-headquartered AAkron Line (asi/30270), a promo products supplier known for its extensive portfolio of Made-in-the-USA items, has acquired Ohio-headquartered supplier The Allen Company (asi/34330). Financial terms of the deal were not released.

The Allen Company, which goes to market as AllenColorcraft, also features a range of USA-made products – a key reason AAkron Line felt the acquisition made good sense as the businesses are complementary and as global supply chain troubles persist. Executives noted that the acquisition expands retail drinkware options even further.  

Devin Piscitelli, AAkron Line.

AAkron described The Allen Company as a third-generation family-owned business that has won more than 50 industry awards since its founding in 1959. Company leaders at AAkron told ASI Media that the majority of AllenColorcraft’s leadership team will be joining AAkron in similar capacities, noting that combined the teams have 120 years and five generations of experience. AllenColorcraft President Stan Dohan is among those remaining.

“Anytime an organization can add talent to its team then it’s a good move,” said Devin Piscitelli, CEO and co-owner of AAkron Line. “ AAkron is also able to add trending products for gift-giving, personalization and recognition programs.”

According to AAkron Line, AllenColorcraft will stop accepting orders on Tuesday, March 29, and will ship all open orders the following week. AAkron will begin accepting orders for AllenColorcraft products on Monday, April 4, while resuming shipping from AAkron’s facilities the week of April 11. For the time being, the AllenColorcraft name/branding will remain. It will eventually come under the AAkron Line name and branding, but there’s not a timeframe for that.

AAkron’s Made-in-the-USA line accounts for more than 75% of the items it sells annually, the company has said. The supplier has two manufacturing facilities: one in Akron, NY, and the other in Bakewell, TN. The family-owned and operated supplier launched in 1967, making rulers and yardsticks in the U.S. Some 55 years later, the company’s manufacturing capabilities have expanded to include pencil manufacturing, blow molding and injection molding.

In 2017, AAkron built a 16,000-square-foot molding facility in New York. It also expanded an existing 12,000-square-foot manufacturing warehouse in New York by adding another 9,000 square feet to the facility.