• Melanie Yermack (Managing Director) and Rick Weil (Managing Director) served as transaction leads
• The sale of Sumter Packaging represents another corrugated transaction completed by Mesirow, the most active investment banker serving the corrugated industry

CHICAGO, January 23, 2024 – Mesirow is proud to announce that it served as the exclusive financial advisor to Sumter Packaging Corporation (“Sumter” or the “Company”) on its sale to Hood Container Corporation (“Hood Container”).

Founded in 1980, Sumter is a leading provider of high-graphic corrugated displays, graphic packaging and corrugated packaging to the Southeast.  The Company boasts more than 315,000 square feet of capacity in Sumter, South Carolina and Statesville, North Carolina.  

“I came from investment banking and have known the Mesirow packaging team for decades. Mesirow knows the corrugated packaging sector better than any other bank. The solid advice and tremendous dedication of the Mesirow team led to a highly competitive process and an excellent result for our shareholders.” said Ben DeSollar, CEO of Sumter Packaging. “We are excited to be a part of Hood Container, a company with strong values, vision, and the capability to further improve on the strengths we already have with its national network and the ability to offer vertical supply chain integration.”

Melanie Yermack (Managing Director) and Rick Weil (Managing Director) of Mesirow Investment Banking, commented: “We were pleased to advise Sumter in its sale to Hood Container. Sumter’s commitment to exceptional customer service and quality, combined with premium capabilities has created an outstanding reputation in the market. We look forward to the Company’s continued success as part of Hood Container.”

The sale of Sumter Packaging represents another successful assignment completed by Mesirow Investment Banking. Mesirow is one of the most active advisors in the packaging sector, having completed over 200 packaging transactions in recent years. Committed to leveraging extensive sector-specific expertise across industry groups and nurturing deep longstanding relationships, Mesirow has a proven track record of completing highly tailored and successful transactions on behalf of its clients.

About Mesirow

Mesirow is an independent, employee-owned financial services firm founded in 1937. Headquartered in Chicago, with offices around the world, we serve clients through a personal, custom approach to reaching financial goals and acting as a force for social good. With capabilities spanning Global Investment Management, Capital Markets & Investment Banking, and Advisory Services, we invest in what matters: our clients, our communities and our culture. To learn more, visit mesirow.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Mesirow was recently named one of the Best Places to Work in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business and one of the Top 100 RIA firms by Barron’s.

About Sumter Packaging

Sumter Packaging Corporation provides high-graphic corrugated displays, graphic packaging and corrugated packaging. The Company services a variety of end markets, including paper & packaging, industrial products, home improvement, furniture, healthcare, food & beverage, consumer products and automotive, among others. The Company operates three locations in Sumter, SC and a location in Statesville, NC. For more information, visit www.sumterpackaging.com.

About Hood Container

Hood Container Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hood Companies, Inc. Hood Container is a mill-to-market company specializing in containerboard and kraft paper, corrugated boxes, high graphic displays, and contract packaging. Hood Container operates corrugated packaging manufacturing locations in seventeen states. The company also owns and operates linerboard, medium, and multiwall paper manufacturing operations in New Johnsonville, TN and St. Francisville, LA. For more information, visit www.hoodcontainer.com.
 

Nothing contained herein constitutes an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any Mesirow investment vehicle(s). Mesirow Financial, Inc. is not affiliated with Sumter Packaging, Hood Container or their affiliates. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Mesirow refers to Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. and its divisions, subsidiaries and affiliates. The Mesirow name and logo are registered service marks of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. © 2024. All rights reserved. Securities offered through Mesirow Financial, Inc. member FINRA, SIPC

2022 Crain’s Best Places to Work (Received August 2022 reflective of previous 12 months – Licensing fees paid post award for use of the ranking). Best Companies Group (BCG), an independent workplace excellence research firm, conducted a two-part survey. Part one, consisted of an employer questionnaire, used to collect information about benefits, policies, practices, and other general information. Part two was a confidential 77-question employee survey used to evaluate local employee’s workplace experience and culture. Rankings and/or recognition by unaffiliated rating services and/or publications are not indicative of a firm’s future performance nor do they evaluate the quality of services provided to clients or guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if Mesirow is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services, nor should they be construed as a current or past endorsement of Mesirow by any of its clients. 

2023 Barron’s Top RIAs (Received September 2023 for the year 2022 – Licensing fees pid post award for use of the ranking). In order to be considered for the Barron’s 2023 Top RIA Firms list, applicants were required to complete a 145-question survey, with the firm’s ADV informing the majority of responses. Firms were also required to meet a number of other specified requirements to be eligible for inclusion. Firms were ranked based on various qualitative and quantitative factors, including assets managed, the size and experience of teams, regulatory records of the advisors and firms, technology spending, staff diversity, organic and M&A growth, client segmentation as well as succession planning.