Garlock Flexibles is a full-service flexible film packaging supplier that provides packaging solutions to noncyclical end markets, particularly food. With two locations positioned to serve the East and West Coast, Garlock is focused on high quality, ten-color flexographic printing that extends shelf-life, reduces food waste, and increases consumer appeal.About Astara Capital Partners: Astara is an integrated team of investors and operators investing in the middle market. The firm brings capital, strategic, and operational resources to its investments to build sustainable value and position them for long-term success. Astara focuses on industries where it has developed strategic relationships and has relevant investment experience and/or direct operational experience. Astara partners with accomplished industry executives who are actively involved throughout the entirety of the investment process. Sellers select Astara because they bring more than just capital: they bring resources that allow the companies to become larger and more profitable.

Full P&L responsibility for $460+MM in sales across three business units. Assumed full responsibility for Winpak Portion Packaging, Inc. and Winpak Lane, Inc. in July of 2020. Winpak Portion Packaging, Inc. is one of North America’s largest producers of thermoformed portion size food packaging for the food, beverage, and dairy industries. The business is a leader in the production of single-serve coffee pods, condiment, dessert, and fruit containers. Winpak Lane, Inc. is a global leader in portion size liquid filling systems used by the world’s most recognizable condiment and dressing brand leaders. Assumed the additional responsibilities of Winpak Heat Seal, Inc. in April of 2021. With operations in Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC, Canada and Pekin, IL, USA, Winpak Heat Seal, Inc. is the largest foil lidding supplier in North America. The business specializes in die cut and rollstock foil and non-foil multi-layer lidding solutions.

Winpak is part of the packaging division of the Finnish Wihuri Group, which employs more than 5,000 highly qualified professionals all over the world. Winpak operates production facilities in Canada, the United States and Mexico. Winpak's sister division, Wipak, operates production facilities in Europe, Russia and Asia. Together, the group provides protective packaging solutions to global customers in the perishable foods, beverages, and health care industries.The company is an integrated packaging solutions provider with multi-color printing, laminating, slitting, pouch and bag making, thermoforming and die cutting capabilities. Winpak also designs and manufactures specialized packaging equipment, which enable it to provide a complete solution from packaging design through to package forming, filling and sealing.

Full P&L responsibility for Sonoco's $400MM Display & Packaging business; a leading provider of high-impact temporary and semi-permanent custom merchandising displays; manufacturer of primary, secondary and promotional packaging; and operator of a multitude of CPG contract packaging operations. Managed a staff of 12 direct reports. The division employs 5,200 associates across 14 operations in the US; 3 operations in Poland and 2 operations in Brazil. Selected Results:+ Systematically tackled a myriad of business and cultural challenges.+ Acted immediately to conserved cash by reducing fixed costs by $2.86MM/-3.6%. Held division SGA ratios flat, while redeploying resources towards new site start-ups in the U.S. and Poland. + Restored commercial process discipline and accountability.+ Restructured the business and started the process of transforming the culture.+ Drove a 9.5 day improvement in Cash Gap through focus on Collections and inventory management. + Led a re-write of the division’s strategic plan and reset the division’s long-range financial targets.+ Re-organized design function to improve design capacity utilization, improving organizational efficiency and effectiveness. Digitization team was further carved out to scale up cloud-based collaboration. Initiated plans to globalize the design function.+ Ushered in an end-to-end digital transformation of the business, including a cloud-based customer collaboration tool and new state-of-the-art, large-format Barberan direct-to-digital press.

Maintained P&L responsibility for Sonoco's Protective Packaging business and assumed the added P&L responsibility of Sonoco's Automotive Component Solutions business. Overall scope of responsibilities included 16 manufacturing sites (14 in the U.S.; 6 in Mexico; 1 in Kaiping, China). 15 direct reports; 347 salaried associates and 1,728 hourly associates.Results:+ Grew the combined business by $13.6MM. + Improved EBIT 13.1%. + Improved free cash flow by $9.8MM through improved focus on Collections (A/R) and re-designed ordering processes to reduce inventory and inventory write-offs. + Reduced injury rate 48%.+ Established Program Management as a professional function to improve new program launch success. Built the team, structure and improved costing, quoting, tooling and commercialization processes. + Led both businesses separately and autonomously, while leveraging staff leadership across the two business units. The Automotive Component Solutions business produces custom-designed automotive components made from lightweight foams. By replacing heavier parts, traditionally made from metal and plastic, automakers are able to improve the over-all fuel economy of their fleets. The design of Sonoco's foam components also seek to capitalize on energy absorbing properties in order to make automobiles safer in the event of a collision. In order to meet the rigorous quality standards of the automotive industry, our automotive facilities are ISO & TS certified, ensuring our manufacturing process is safe, clean, and effective. Sonoco's manufacturing facilities are strategically located to provide just-in-time delivery of product to our customers.

P&L responsibility for three discrete asset bases. Completed the commercial integration of Sonoco’s legacy Protective Packaging business with Tegrant’s protective packaging business (Protexic). Develop the staff, structure and culture necessary to improve profitability, drive growth and leverage business across three distinct asset bases (steam-chest shape molding, paper-fiber shape molding, fabricated packaging). Results:+ Grew sales CAGR of 3.3% in a mature, intensely contested industry. + Improved EBIT by +81% (CAGR in EBIT growth 21.8%) and improved cash flow by $9.6MM.+ Closed, moved and consolidated operations to improve RONAE, while ensuring footprint could be further leveraged with profitable growth.+ Consolidated and integrated three sales organizations down to one. Combined and integrated engineering organizations. + Deployed a standardized commercialization process and streamlined work flows.+ Centralized the customer service, extracting it from individual manufacturing sites, and then leveraged cost, processes and best practices across the asset base. + Implemented Customer Satisfaction KPI’s. Drove Net Promoter Score (NPS) from 11% to 38%.Protective packaging solutions serves the White Goods, Electronics/Technology, and Durable Goods industries. Packaging solutions are custom, integrated designs employing foam plastics (EPS, EPP, and Arcel), paper, corrugated, plastic and composite materials. Importantly, Sonoco's protective packaging solutions go the extra mile in considering material handling, load optimization, and end of life.

Full P&L responsibility for Sonoco Reels. Managed 10 direct reports. Oversaw 4 U.S. Manufacturing sites and 22 service centers.Integrated Madem business post-acquisition in 2010. Vertically integrated and consolidated Sonoco’s Molded Wood products business into Sonoco’s Hartselle, AL complex in 2011.Grew sales 38.8%from $92.6MM to more than $128MM in a mature industry. Moldwood sales were added in 2012, bringing total sales to exceed $136MM. Improved division EBIT from near break-even to more than 10%. Improved RONAE 15-fold through focused improvement in inventory management. Reduced the number of service centers by one-third without impacting customer service. Rejuvenated NPD/NBD efforts, leading to an incremental $6.96MM in new product sales in 2012. Reduced injury rate from 8 injuries/1.26TIR in 2011 to 3 injuries/0.43TIR in 2012. Improved Customer Experience through deployment and cascade of Perfect Order metrics down through the division and improved Net Promoter Score (NPS) to 18%.Formally, and intentionally, made a final transition of the business and branding from "Baker Reels" to "Sonoco Reels". Sonoco Reels is the most comprehensive provider of reels produced from nailed wood, plywood, poly-fibers, molded plastic and steel materials. The reels are used by the wire and cable industry to serve the power transmission and distribution; telecommunications; commercial and industrial building; oil and gas; mining and marine industries.

Develop and commercialize new businesses through a combination of organic development, partnerships and alliances, joint-ventures and/or acquisitions. Identified significant market opportunities where sustainable value could be created. Led the organization's efforts to develop commercially viable solutions. Commercialized these solutions into the target market(s). Transferred ownership and responsibility to the most appropriate existing selling organization, third-party partner(s), or staffed and deployed a new selling organization.

Re-designed the marketing organization; recruited and built a marketing team; developed and launched a new product development process; set market and portfolio-specific strategies in place.Sonoco is the world’s largest producer of industrial engineered carriers and related products...Paperboard tubes, cores, roll packaging, molded plugs, pallet components, concrete forms, void forms, and rotary die boards. The business serves the following industries: Construction (Sonotube® Concrete Forming systems); Film Converting; Flowables; Metal Converting; Papermaking; Shipping and Storage; Tape and Label Converting; and Textiles.

Part of the core team leading the recruitment and development of the marketing organization, after the acquisition of American Tool Companies and the relocation of the division headquarters to Huntersville, NC.Responsible for the development and implementation of long-range market segment plans and multi-generation product road maps. All plans were fully integrated business strategies, including operations, channel, sales, and commercial elements.Oversaw line reviews necessary to profitably establish the Irwin brand within each key channel of distribution...Home Centers (e.g. The Home Depot and Lowe's); Retail (e.g. Walmart); 2-Step/Co-op (e.g. Ace Hardware, Canadian Tire); Industrial Catalog (e.g. Grainger MSC, McMaster-Carr) and traditional Industrial distribution (e.g. White Cap, STAFDA).

Consolidated 6 different new product development processes into 1 tollgate-based process, with emphasis on acceleration of time-to-market; front-end market input; more robust financial justification; and a ranking process, enabling more effective new product development portfolio management. Directed 4 full-time Program Managers, who lead cross-functional teams in the development of a next-generation precision DC fastening system, an upgraded line of torque analysis equipment, and numerous branding opportunities that enhanced Ingersoll-Rand’s position as a “one-stop shop” for threaded and adhesive fastening systems. Oversaw more than $4.0 million in new product development capital funding. Facilitated the development of multi-generation product roads for each key product category, including technology mapping for Ingersoll-Rand’s software and electronic-intensive new product development programs. Guided the development of the division’s Electronics Center of Excellence (ECOE), which resulted in the integration of all technical support functions for the division’s electronics and software intensive products. Managed a staff of 16 associates. Helped re-positioned the ECOE as a profit center and drove top-line revenue growth through after-sales service, repair, and calibration services; preventative maintenance contracts; extended warranty plans; and tiered technical support plans.Ingersoll Rand's Productivity Solutions Group serves industrial markets with the following Ingersoll-Rand® and ARO® branded product portfolios: fluid power and fluid handling equipment; manual and powered hoists; industrial winches; Zimmerman® Ergonomic Handling Systems; precision DC fastener tightening systems; pneumatic and electric tools; Johnstone® automated dispense systems; pneumatic engine starting systems; and ultra-high pressure waterjet intensifiers, accessories, and consumables.

Directed the activities of 4 Worldwide Marketing Managers with global responsibility for 4 categories: Construction Tools; Surface Preparation Tools (e.g. Grinders and Sanders); Material Handling Equipment; and Aftermarket Parts & Accessories. Sales and Marketing responsibility for the global Engine Starting Systems business. Turned the business around, after annual sales declines in excess of 17% in each of the prior 3 years. Grew top-line sales by 23% in 2001 and exceeded plan by $2.6 million. Business benefited from cyclical industry segment growth of 15 to 17%; remaining growth was a direct result of distribution restructuring, sales re-alignment, new product development, and market share gain. Directed the development and execution of a turn-around plan for the previously unprofitable Construction Tool category. Operating income was tripled. Price-point positions were re-aligned with the market, opportunistic new products were added to the line, and a brand-building campaign was launched. Grew sales by 5% in 2001, in an industry that was down in excess of 30% during the same period. Across-the-board market share gains were realized, per CIMA industry reporting. Controlled S&A spending at 30% below plan, as a means of preserving operating income and increasing free cash flow during the 2000-2001 economic downturn. Led the Industrial/MRO strategic business unit through two annual strategic planning cycles, providing a clear vision and long-term growth path for each business segment.The division serves industrial markets with the following Ingersoll-Rand® and ARO® branded product portfolios: fluid power and fluid handling equipment; manual and powered hoists; industrial winches; Zimmerman® Ergonomic Handling Systems; precision DC fastener tightening systems; pneumatic and electric tools; Johnstone® automated dispense systems; pneumatic engine starting systems; and ultra-high pressure waterjet intensifiers, accessories, and consumables.

World’s largest manufacturer of sockets, ratchets, and wrenches. The hand tool lines are marketed under Danaher’s own Allen, Armstrong, K-D, and Matco brands, as well as through private-label programs for Sears, NAPA, and Ace. Jacobs Chuck is the world leader in the manufacture and marketing of engineered accessories for the consumer and professional power tools.