User:XyZAn/sandbox/blck

Blackfriars Corporation is a privately held investment company of the Colburn family. It has a global presence through a number of electrical wholesale distribution companies in the USA, UK, mainland Europe and in the UAE. The company also controls a number of the largest companies in the prefabricated plastics industry through a number of subsidiaries.

History
Blackfriars is the investment vehicle of the Colburn family whose fortune arose from the electrics and construction wholesale sector. The group control US-based electrical wholesaler Consolidated Electrical Distributors and leading UK based electrical wholesaler Edmundson Electrical.

In 2003, the group acquired building products manufacturer and distributor Emco Ltd through a subsidiary (Ontario Inc) for $285 million. In 2008 Emco acquired HVAC, industrial piping, refrigeration and plumbing supplies wholesaler, McKeough Supply Inc.

The group also controls UK-based Amari Plastics Plc which in turn owns the European semi-finished plastics parts distributor Vink. through which in acquired a controlling stake in 2009. In 2004 the group acquired Laird Plastics, the largest independent plastics distributor in North America, for $65 million, combining it with Port Plastics. In 2003, Laird Plastics recorded turnover was $209.8 million.

In 2015, Laird plastics acquired Hart Supply Co. for an undisclosed sum.

In 2016, the group acquired Polymershapes from Saudi Basic Industries Corp, with the deal expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2016. . Polymershapes is the global leader in semi-finished plastics products, which was created in 2001 when General Electrics plastics division acquired semi-finished products distributors Commercial Plastics and Cadillac Plastics and merged them with the group. Sabic acquired the division in 2007 for $11.6 billion. The transaction marks a significant consolidation in the market for semi-finished plastics distribution, with the group already owning Laird Plastics Inc. and as Global Plastics Letter noted the transaction will combine the top-two companies in the industry (Laird has estimated sales of $550 million, Polymershapes $525 million with Piedmont Plastics in third place with an estimated turnover of $325 million).

Ownership
LOOK here - http://www.secgems.com/c/all_sec_filings/0001219406/blackfriars-corp