WESEL, Germany/POMPANO BEACH, FL — The specialty chemicals group ALTANA has acquired the operating assets of the Paul N. Gardner Co. Inc., Pompano Beach, Florida. Within the ALTANA Group, the business will be integrated into the Instruments Business Line of the BYK Division (BYK-Gardner) and will continue to operate as Paul N. Gardner. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

The Paul N. Gardner Co. and BYK-Gardner have a common origin in the Henry A. Gardner Laboratory, founded in 1935 in Bethesda, Maryland. Both companies are leaders in the production and sale of physical testing instrumentation and supplies for paints, coatings and related markets. These devices effectively assess the quality of color, gloss and the physical properties of coated surfaces.

“I can’t think of a better business combination for our customers than ALTANA,” said Paul N. Gardner Jr., President and CEO of Paul N. Gardner Co. Inc. (Gardco). “I’m confident that this is the best avenue for our customers as well as our employees to take Gardco and BYK to the next level of growth.”

“We are extremely fortunate and happy to be able to utilize the combined strengths of BYK Instruments and Paul N. Gardner Co. Inc. to continue to provide new and innovative solutions and increased value to our combined customer base,” said BYK Instruments CEO Frank Wagner.

BYK is a leading supplier of additives and measuring instruments. The company has production sites in Germany, the Netherlands, Great Britain, the United States and China.  

ALTANA, Wesel, Germany, is a global leader in specialty chemicals, offering innovative, environmentally compatible solutions for coating manufacturers, paint and plastics processors, the printing and packaging industries, the cosmetics sector, and the electrical and electronics industry. The product range includes additives, special coatings and adhesives, effect pigments, sealants and compounds, impregnating resins and varnishes, and testing and measuring instruments. ALTANA has four divisions (BYK, ECKART, ELANTAS, and ACTEGA), 47 production facilities, and 60 service and research laboratories worldwide.