Rebranded Accella expands, diversifies through acquisitions

ST. LOUIS—Accella Performance Materials Inc.—which changed its name from Dash Multi-Corp. May 7—has acquired two firms, RTH Processing Inc. and RDT Manufacturing L.L.C., to expand its capabilities and diversify its product line.

A platform company of Arsenal Capital Partners, it bought the two related Delphos, Ohio-based businesses because they “represent ideal additions to the Accella Performance Materials platform,” according to Andy Harris, CEO of St. Louis-headquartered Accella, a maker of polyurethane, plastisols and recycled rubber products.

The acquired operations are being combined into a new business called Ultimate RB Inc. that will work closely with another Accella subsidiary, RB Rubber Products Inc., a company spokesman said.

RTH and RDT have a long history of innovation in the custom-colored EPDM and recycled rubber products markets that ties in well with Accella's culture and history, said John Televantos, a partner at Arsenal Capital Partners and co-head of its Specialty Industrials Group.

RDT manufacturers rolled rubber products, including athletic flooring, commercial flooring, acoustical underlayment and load containment matting.

RTH is a large U.S. producer of colored EPDM granules used in playground surfacing, running tracks and other rubber goods. “The custom color compounding technology continues to evolve and address unmet needs in the market,” Televantos said.

Operating out of a single manufacturing facility in Delphos, the two acquired companies make products in a factory that sits on 20 acres and has about 75,000 square feet of space used for manufacturing, technical services and offices, the spokesman said.

RTH and RDT have a combined work force of about 100, he said, adding that Accella plans on retaining the plant, work force and management team of the acquired businesses.

The spokesman said the company is evaluating further investment in the acquired businesses to increase production at the plant and expand the combined work force.

“In addition to bringing expanded capabilities and colored EPDM technology to our recycled rubber products business, they will allow for tremendous cross-selling opportunities with our polyurethane business in the athletic surfacing market,” Harris said.

With the combination of RTH, RDT and RB Rubber, Harris said, “we are now the only manufacturer in the world that offers complete custom systems encompassing all of the components of playground surfacing and running tracks.”

They put the firm's Performance Materials business in a uniquely competitive position to provide great value to its customers, according to Hal Stuhl, vice president of Accella's recycled rubber products operation.

“We become the only manufacturer that is fully vertically integrated as we now produce our own recycled tire crumb, a wide variety of EPDM granules and urethane binder,” he said. “We have the most diverse product line in the industry, and we are the only manufacturer with multiple production sites across the U.S.”

Accella, formed in 1973 in St. Louis, changed its name from Dash Multi-Corp. because it said the new name better reflects the technical knowledge, innovation and manufacturing strength of its combined operation, which includes RB Rubber, RB Recycling, Ultimate RB, Mar-Chem polyurethane systems, Mar-Chem specialty plastisols and ArncoPathway tire fill.

Its polyurethane business is focused on tire fill, foams, adhesives, sealants and elastomers. The firm's recycled rubber products unit produces recycled athletic flooring, tire crumb, equine matting, custom molded products and playground surfaces.

Accella makes its products in 10 plants spread across the U.S., along with one in the United Kingdom and another in China.