3i is making a significant investment in Mold-Masters. This investment builds on 3i’s long and successful investment history in high growth global industrial leaders.

 In the true spirit of partnership, Mold-Masters’ founders and management see this investment as an opportunity to better position the company to capitalize on its global growth opportunities.  Founded in 1963, Jobst & Waltraud Gellert have built Mold-Masters into the leading global manufacturer of hot runner systems for the plastic injection moulding industry.  This transaction is subject to regulatory approval.

Hot runner systems are used in the plastic injection moulding across a number of industry verticals including consumer packaging, telecommunications, electronics, automotive and healthcare.  The hot runner industry is a C$1.2bn sector that is growing at 5-7% or more per annum, with substantially stronger growth in Asia.

Mold-Masters is highly diversified across geographies (North and South America, Asia and Europe), industry verticals and customers.  The company is recognised as the industry leader with a strong reputation for quality, customer support and technological innovation (with over 1600 patents pending and received).  The company is well positioned to achieve significant growth over the coming years through a combination of organic growth and accretive acquisitions.

3i’s investment will enable Mold-Masters to accelerate its international expansion in Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America and consider acquisition opportunities both in the hot runner segment and beyond.
 
Hamdi Conger, a proven industrialist, will serve as chairman.  Mr. Conger has extensive experience as chairman of several of 3i’s portfolio companies, including Hyva, NORMA Group and AES Seal.  His broad international experience, particularly in Europe & Asia, complements Mold-Masters CEO Jonathon Fischer’s vision for growth.

Ken Hanau, 3i Partner in the New York office, commented: “We are very excited to be partnering with the Gellert family and Jonathon Fischer to help fuel Mold-Masters’ growth initiatives.  Over the last 44 years, the family has built a market leading business based on technological innovation and outstanding customer service.  3i has a long history of partnering with quality family-owned businesses like Mold-Masters to help these companies go to the next level.”

Jonathon Fischer, CEO Mold-Masters commented: “We are delighted to be partnering with 3i.  We were fortunate to have some interesting alternatives in choosing a private equity partner, enabling us to pick 3i for all the right reasons.  We feel that 3i brings the right combination of industry knowledge, international capabilities and patient capital.  We have ambitious plans for Mold-Masters.”

3i’s track record of investing in international industrial businesses include Hyva, a branded producer and supplier of hydraulic cylinder components for commercial vehicles, Benelux; Wendt, a leading manufacturer of abrasive grinding tools and related machinery, Germany; STEN, a Spanish developer of formwork and scaffolding systems for construction and civil engineering projects; and Alimak Hek, a developer of vertical access equipment, Sweden.