Absopure Water Co., which traces its roots to Detroit in 1908, has been acquired by Niagara Bottling in Diamond Bar, Calif. (east of Los Angeles). Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Detroiter William P. Young, a packaging engineer and a salesman, took the reins of what was known as the Absopure Ice Co. in 1956. In the early years, Young repped equipment during the day and worked at Absopure at night. His wife ran the books.
Eventually, his son, William (Bill) C. Young, took the reins. The private, family-owned company, based in Plymouth Township, expanded into multiple states and thousands of retail outlets.
In addition to producing an array of purified, natural spring, steam distilled, and related water products, Absopure operates an office coffee service and provides vending services.
The acquisition of Absopure does not include Plastipak Holdings Inc., which the Young family owns and operates. It was founded in 1967.
Today, Plastipak has more than 60 production facilities in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Niagara Bottling has been family owned and operated since 1963. The company operates bottling facilities throughout the U.S., Mexico, Australia, and the UK.
In conjunction with the Absopure acquisition, Niagara announced it was moving forward with an additional investment of “several hundred million dollars” in manufacturing infrastructure throughout the Midwest, Northeast, West Coast, and Southwest”
The company states new investments in technology will lead to more efficient operations, including using less energy, less packaging material, and less freight emissions. The initiatives will keep skilled American manufacturing jobs in the United States.
“Our commitment to the U.S. market and our customers remains unchanged,” the company stated. “As a family business with 9,000-plus team members across 50-plus plant locations, we are now able to further build on our network to serve our customers nationwide.
“That same focus on quality and service is what drew us to Absopure — a family-built brand with deep roots, known and trusted by retailers and families alike. We are pleased to welcome them into the Niagara family and look forward to growing the brand for years to come.”
Niagara produces a variety of beverages, including bottled water, sparkling, vitamin, and flavored water; teas; sports drinks; ready-to-drink coffee; protein drinks; and non-dairy milk products.
For more information about Absopure, visit absopure.com.
For more information on Niagara Bottling, visit niagarawater.com.
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