Protective Industrial Products Inc. Acquires Industrial Starter - A Leading European PPE and Workwear Supplier

LATHAM, NY – June 8, 2022 – Protective Industrial Products, Inc. (“PIP^®”), a global leader in hand protection and PPE for the industrial, construction, mining and retail markets, proudly announces that it has acquired Industrial Starter, S.p.A, (“Industrial Starter”) headquartered Vicenza, Italy, which includes all of the Industrial Starter affiliates throughout Europe.

Industrial Starter is widely recognized in Europe as a quality provider of PPE, workwear, footwear and fall protection – selling principally under the ISSALINE^® and Akrobat^® brands. Current commercial operations include locations in Valencia, Spain; Altavilla Vicentina VI, Italy; Sosnowiec, Poland; and Ostrava, Czechia.

"Industrial Starter is an ideal partner to join the PIP Global family. This union enables us to significantly expand our operations in southern and eastern Europe by adding strong people and a solid infrastructure that includes more than 20,000 sq. mt. (215,000 sq. ft.) of warehouse space,” said Joe Milot, CEO of PIP^®. He added, “The business and operational functions of Industrial Starter are very efficient and as such, we do not anticipate any major changes.”

Vinicio Dalla Vecchia, the current head of Industrial Starter in Italy, stated “Finding the right partner was not easy as we were looking for a company that possessed a strong, complementary legacy along with a passion for the industry.” Roberto Piccolo, head of Industrial Starter’s Spain operation added, “Vinicio and I have assembled an amazing team and we are very happy that they will be part of a global force with such a strong portfolio of international customers.”

PIP^®, now with 35 locations around the world, is a portfolio company of Odyssey Investment Partners. Industrial Starter is another example of PIP's successful acquisition strategy that is predicated upon delivering a wide portfolio of consumable PPE products so that global distributors and retailers choose PIP^® first for all of their safety needs. PIP Global’s ultimate mission is to provide distributors worldwide with more opportunities for growth by offering workers around the world PPE that exceeds industry standards while placing sustainability and ethical sourcing at the forefront.

ABOUT PROTECTIVE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS
Protective Industrial Products (PIP^®) is a leader in providing innovative PPE to wholesalers and distributors in industrial channels. PIP^®, along with its recognized leading brands: G-Tek^®, Grippaz^®, Bouton^®, Ironcat^®, Assurance^®, Kut Gard^®, CleanTeam^®, QRP^®, Ambi-Dex^®, Dynamic^®, NOVAX^®, Bisley^® Workwear, Paramount Safety, Caiman^® and Boss^® Gloves are relied upon for personal protection by workers every day. PIP’s retail^® division offers safety products to leading retail customers under the Safety Works^®, Boss^®, Brahma^®, Mud^®, West County Gardener^® and Hearos^® brands, as well as some of the world’s most recognized licensed brands. PIP’s portfolio of brands now adds the ISSALINE^® and Akrobat^® brands under Industrial Starter in Europe. Additional information about PIP^® is available at www.pipglobal.com.

ABOUT INDUSTRIAL STARTER
Since 1962, Industrial Starter has focused on what really matters to workers: products that offer a safe and comfortable way to perform their job while maintaining style. The steady advancement and evolution of the brand are demonstrated throughout its 60-year history, which has driven it to be a dominant business in the European market for work clothes and personal protective equipment with locations in Italy, Poland, Spain and Czechia. Additional information about Industrial Starter is available at www.industrialstarter.com.

ABOUT ODYSSEY INVESTMENT PARTNERS
Odyssey Investment Partners, with offices in New York and Los Angeles, is a leading private equity investment firm with a more than 25-year history of partnering with skilled managers to transform middle-market companies into more efficient and diversified businesses with strong growth profiles. Odyssey makes majority-controlled investments in industries with a long-term positive outlook and favorable secular trends. For further information about Odyssey, please visit www.odysseyinvestment.com.