A.Schulman Acquisition Communications

Carrying a message of strategic progress

In January 2008, Joseph M. Gingo took over as CEO of A. Schulman, Inc., a leading global supplier of high-performance plastic compounds and resins.  At the time, activist shareholders were pressuring the Board of Directors to pursue a sale of the company.  Thanks to the action plan immediately put into place by Gingo and his management team, the company steadily improved its global operations and increased its financial strength.

In less than two years, A. Schulman had turned the tables and was positioned to become an acquirer itself.  On December 2, 2009, the company announced an agreement to acquire ICO, Inc., a Houston-based manufacturer of specialty plastic resins, compounds and concentrates, subject to approval by ICO shareholders and government regulators.  The acquisition would further A. Schulman’s strategy to strengthen its position as a leading global manufacturer of masterbatch and rotomolding products.

With the acquisition imminent, A. Schulman reached out to Dix & Eaton to develop and coordinate the messaging and various materials it would need to communicate the significance of the transaction.  These included a news release, fact sheet, conference call and video scripts, letters and talking points for internal and external audiences, and the creation of a special Web site – http://www.shlm-icocprofile.com – dedicated to the acquisition.  Dix & Eaton continues to work closely with A. Schulman to help shape the communication of its strategic progress to shareholders, employees, customers and the media.