In a deal that underscores the growing investor appetite for high-performance distribution platforms, private equity firm Lindsay Goldberg has agreed to acquire EMCO Chemical Distributors, one of the largest independent chemical distributors in North America. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but the move marks a major milestone for a company that has spent more than five decades shaping the industrial supply chain across the Midwest and beyond.
Founded in 1971 by Edward Polen, EMCO has evolved from a local supplier into a logistics and distribution company with over 500 employees and a network of eight distribution and packaging facilities, an application laboratory, an environmental services site, and a dedicated delivery fleet built for just-in-time distribution. The company manages more than 5,000 SKUs and serves 4,000 customers across industries ranging from manufacturing to food and pharmaceuticals.
“This investment is the culmination of a multi-year relationship with EMCO’s founder, Edward Polen,” said John Holland and Eric Fry, partners at Lindsay Goldberg. “EMCO stands out for its stellar reputation, enduring supplier relationships, loyal employee base, and unmatched infrastructure in the region. We believe these strengths underpin EMCO’s position as a market leader, and we’re thrilled to help fuel its next phase of growth.”
Polen, who has led the Wisconsin-based company for 54 years, described the transaction as both a personal and professional milestone. “Building EMCO has been the greatest privilege,” he said. “From the beginning, I wanted to build a company where people matter — where we’re true partners to our suppliers and customers and where our employees are empowered to make a difference. I’m proud of the culture we’ve built, and confident Lindsay Goldberg will carry it forward.”
As part of the transition, veteran chemicals executive Frank Bergonzi — a Lindsay Goldberg affiliate partner and longtime industry leader — will become executive chairman of EMCO’s board.
For Lindsay Goldberg, the acquisition strengthens its portfolio in industrials — one of its core focus areas alongside services and healthcare. The New York-based firm has raised more than $22 billion in equity capital since 2001, backing over 60 platform companies and 350 add-on acquisitions.
EMCO, meanwhile, enters its next chapter with the resources to scale. Certified under ISO 9001 and FSSC 22000, and operating an ISO 8 Class 100,000 cleanroom, the company is uniquely positioned to meet growing regulatory, and supply-chain demands in the chemicals, food, and pharmaceutical sectors.
The transaction represents more than a change in ownership — it’s a passing of the torch from a founder-driven, relationship-based distributor to an investor-backed growth platform poised to accelerate. In an era when scale, reliability, and operational excellence define competitive edge, EMCO’s next act looks set to blend legacy and ambition in equal measure.
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