RACINE, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Imperial Dade has acquired the assets of Kranz, Inc.. The transaction represents the thirteenth acquisition for Imperial Dade, a leading national distributor of disposable food service and janitorial supplies, under the leadership of Robert and Jason Tillis, CEO and President of Imperial Dade, respectively.

Based in Racine, WI and founded in 1850, Kranz is the oldest janitorial supplies distributor in the United States. Kranz sells janitorial and sanitary supplies serving Wisconsin and the Chicagoland area. For Imperial Dade, the acquisition of Kranz expands the Company’s geographic footprint into the Midwest and enhances the company’s ability to serve customers in the greater Chicago metropolitan area.

Robert Tillis said, “Kranz’ exceptional customer service and storied history in the industry make it a great addition to the Imperial Dade platform. We enthusiastically welcome the Kranz team members to Imperial Dade and look forward to working together to grow the business further.”

“The legacy we have built here at Kranz over the past 167 years will provide a great foundation for growth for Imperial Dade in our region,” said Jeff Neubauer, President of Kranz. “Under the leadership of Imperial Dade we will be able to continue and accelerate the growth we have experienced in recent years. Our industry is evolving and we are excited to partner with Imperial Dade as they can bring dramatically more investment capital, resources and marketing power than we could access on our own.”

Neubauer continued, “Kranz has been in my family for four generations and 100 years. I care about what happens in our next chapter. We could not have a better organization than Imperial Dade to provide opportunities for our employees and our customers. Our customers can expect the same great service with access to a broader and deeper product and service offering. I also am very pleased that Imperial Dade has signed a long term lease to stay at our current location in the City of Racine.”

“Our vision at Imperial Dade is to grow strategically through both organic initiatives and add-on acquisitions of market leading companies and operators,” said Jason Tillis. “The acquisition of Kranz provides us a foothold in the large, growing, and fragmented Chicagoland and Wisconsin market, which is key as we expand geographically and grow nationally with our customers.”

About Imperial Dade

Founded in 1935, Imperial Dade is a leading distributor of disposable food service and janitorial supplies in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Midwest regions and Puerto Rico. Since CEO Robert Tillis and President Jason Tillis assumed their roles in 2007, the company has grown both organically and through acquisitions to become a leader in the disposable food service and janitorial supplies industry. For additional information, please visit www.imperialdade.com.