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Gridiron Capital Announces Royal Paper’s Acquisition of Sun Paper, Strengthening Royal Paper’s National Capabilities

NEW CANAAN, CT, December 3, 2020 –Gridiron Capital, LLC (“Gridiron Capital”), an investment firm focused on partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams, is pleased to announce that Royal Paper, a leading vertically integrated private label consumer packaged goods company focused on tissue manufacturing, has acquired Sun Paper Company (“Sun Paper”), a top supplier of high-quality bath, towel, napkin, and facial tissue in the Southeast.

“Our vision is to build on Royal Paper and Sun Paper’s legacy of quality, flexibility, and reliability to become the preferred private label partner for our customers’ paper categories,” said Steve Schoembs, VP Sales, Royal Paper. “Together, we will help our customers grow their paper categories by consistently delivering high quality, sustainable, and branded products at a leading value to consumers.”

Kevin Otero, Royal Paper CEO said, “We are excited to continue to build upon the entrepreneurial spirit of the family founders of both Sun and Royal.  We share similar, and complementary, cultures with a strong focus on serving the customer through long-standing relationships. This alignment gives us a bedrock foundation to build upon.”

Sun Paper has earned the reputation as a top supplier of high-quality bath, towel, napkin, and facial tissue in the East. With headquarters on opposite sides of the country, Royal Paper in Arizona and Sun Paper in South Carolina, the combined company has strengthened its national capabilities for its blue-chip customers across the country. The combined platform is a recycled and sustainable paper industry leader in North America, holding FSC, Green Seal, and Rainforest Alliance Certifications.

Joe Salgado, Sun Paper President said, “Sun Paper is excited to partner with Royal Paper and Gridiron Capital.  Together with Royal, we are poised to better satisfy the growing demand for quality private label and sustainable products.  Flexibility, operational excellence, and a customer-centric approach will continue to be the pillars that define our success.”

The combined company will continue to build on its reputation for providing quality products for leading Retail and Away-From-Home brands.  The additional capacity and increased footprint will also ensure continued high-quality service and affordable prices for blue-chip national customers.

Kevin Jackson, Managing Partner, Gridiron Capital, said “The partnership with Sun Paper and Royal Paper is a key step in our shared strategic vision. The combined entity will position Royal Paper to be the preferred partner in private label tissue and increase our capacity for fulfilling demand to the East Coast.”

Will Hausberg, Managing Director, Gridiron Capital, added, “We are excited to support the Royal Paper team and their vision to expand their reach with consistent quality products and a leading position in the recycled space.”

About Royal Paper:
Founded in 1992, Arizona-based Royal Paper is a privately owned, vertically integrated private label tissue producer offering a complete selection of high-quality tissue products including bath tissue, paper towels, napkins, and facial tissue to the retail (At-Home) and commercial (Away-from-Home) markets. Royal also has a portfolio of brands to support both channels and they recently relaunched their SuperSoft and EarthFirst brands targeted at value-oriented and sustainably-minded consumers. Royal Paper has a strong track record of driving growth for its customers by consistently delivering high quality, sustainable tissue products at a leading value to consumers. For more information visit:
http://royalpaper.us/

About Sun Paper Company:
Headquartered in Duncan, South Carolina, Sun Paper Company is a consumer paper products manufacturer specializing in quality sustainable products for a better environment and customer satisfaction. Its main mission is to provide the highest standard of products and services to both retailers and consumers. They understand the importance of continually updating their approach to stay relevant in the market and are committed to just that. The company was founded in 1990 by Jose Salgado and three of his children, Rita, Joe, and Carlos; son Daniel joined in 2003. For more information visit: www.sunpaper.co/

About Gridiron Capital, LLC:
Gridiron Capital is an investment firm focused on partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams, and creating value by building middle-market companies into industry-leaders in branded consumer, B2B and B2C services, and niche industrial segments in the United States and Canada. We help transform growing companies by winning together through hard work, partnerships grounded in shared values and a unique culture that comes from hands-on experience building and running businesses. As a team led by former operators and entrepreneurs, we know what it takes to run successful businesses on a day-to-day basis. Additional information is available on the firm’s website: www.gridironcapital.com

For More Information:
Press Contact:
Kevin Jackson, Managing Partner, Gridiron Capital, LLC
kjackson@gridironcapital.com

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