PIP to Acquire Safety Industry Leader, West Chester Protective Gear

LATHAM, NY – February 6, 2019 – Protective Industrial Products, Inc. (PIP), a leading North American supplier of hand protection and general safety products, proudly announces the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire West Chester Protective Gear (West Chester), headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, also a recognized leader in providing personal protective equipment to both the industrial and retail channels. PIP is a portfolio company of Audax Private Equity.

Since 1978, West Chester Protective Gear has provided high performance solutions to ensure workers stay safe and perform at their best.  The company offers an extensive line of industrial hand protection products along with a protective apparel line including high visibility clothing, disposable clothing, aprons and sleeves, rainwear, and welding apparel.

"We are elated by this partnership," explains Joe Milot, President and CEO of PIP. "West Chester has always been a highly respected competitor and over the years their executive and sales teams have built an excellent business model that complements ours at PIP beautifully. Customers depend on West Chester as a trusted partner to deliver the right products at the right value with guaranteed on time delivery. West Chester Protective Gear is passionately committed to serving its customers and has been successful building long term relationships based on service, quality, innovation, and value. Their highly experienced tenured sales team is knowledgeable and responsive, providing innovative solutions that fit customer needs. PIP recognizes the long-standing value of the people and resources at West Chester's head office and know that they are key to meeting our combined, accelerated growth initiatives. West Chester's state of the art facility in Cincinnati will remain an operational hub of the organization."

Tim Fogarty, CEO of West Chester Holdings Inc. echoes those remarks by saying, "Our product category strengths complement each other extremely well, as does our customer base and our respective corporate cultures. Our management team is excited to join with PIP and carry forward the customer focused culture we have created and evident in both organizations".

The acquisition of West Chester solidifies PIP's position among the leading providers of hand protection and general safety products in North America. PIP will leverage this new partnership to provide its distributors in the safety industry and retailers with an expanded product offering along with more flexible solutions to meet every competitive need. 
Lincoln International acted as the exclusive financial advisor to West Chester in the transaction.

ABOUT PIP GLOBAL HOLDINGS, INC.

PIP Global's mission of "Bringing the Best of the World to You®" is fulfilled everyday by way of its portfolio of companies and brands. Protective Industrial Products (PIP) is a leader in providing innovative safety products to wholesalers and distributors in the industrial channels. Safety Works®, along with its leading brands: Brahma®; Mud®; West County Gardener® and recently added Hearos®, provide consumers in the retail and specialty markets with safety products and protective gloves for work and garden care. Additional information about PIP Global is available at www.pipglobal.com.

West Chester Protective Gear provides high performance solutions that ensure workers and every day users stay safe and perform at their best. The extensive hand protection product line includes dipped/coated, cut resistant, leather, high dexterity/performance, cotton, chemical resistant, welding and disposable gloves. The protective apparel line includes high visibility clothing, disposable clothing, aprons and sleeves, rainwear, and welding apparel. For more information on West Chester Protective Gear, visit www.westchestergear.com.