Legends Brands acquires BlueLine

[Jim Pemberton]

Legend Brands acquires BLUEline carpet and tile cleaning equipment manufacturer

Legend Brands, the parent company of Dri-Eaz Products and Unsmoke/Microban, announced today that it has purchased BLUEline Equipment LLC, manufacturer of carpet and tile cleaning equipment located in Prescott, Ariz.

BLUEline will become part of Sapphire Scientific, a Legend Brands company currently developing a new line of truckmounts and carpet cleaning chemicals. BLUEline's plant in Prescott will become part of Sapphire Scientific's new facility plans as Sapphire moves into production on its new equipment line. The company will continue to manufacture and support existing BLUEline products.

Sapphire Scientific is a member of the Legend Brands family of companies that includes Dri-Eaz Products and ProRestore, the makers Unsmoke, Microban and OdorX products.

BLUEline Equipment LLC was established in 2001 with the goal of providing outstanding parts and technical support to the carpet cleaning industry. In 2002 the company introduced the ThermalWave 5M. The power and reliability of this unit outperformed anything else on the market, and the product was an immediate success. In 2003, the company introduced the Water Pond, an innovative water tank and electric hose reel combination.

These early successes were followed by a line of highly successful truckmount carpet extraction units, including the Champ® (2004), the BlueWave (2005), and the ThermalWave II and Colbalt (2007). BLUEline also produces the Vortex™ mobile cleaning machine, a well-respected system in the residential and commercial carpet cleaning industry.

In 2006, BLUEline Equipment was recognized as one of the "Hot 100" by Entrepreneur Magazine, a ranking of the fastest growing new businesses in America.

"BLUEline has always focused on providing outstanding customer service and support and is a well-established and highly respected company," said Bill Bruders, CEO of Legend Brands. "We're happy for the opportunity to work with BLUEline to strengthen and innovate for the carpet cleaning industry."

 

[Desk Jockey]

I thought they were going to build something from the ground up. That jumps them right to the top!

Thanks Jim!

 

[sweendogg]

Guess the former thread was smoke and mirrors. It will be interesting what this union can offer the industry!

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Sapphire Scientific, a Legend Brands company currently developing a new line of truckmounts and carpet cleaning chemicals. BLUEline's plant in Prescott will become part of Sapphire Scientific's new facility plans as Sapphire moves into production on its new equipment line. The company will continue to manufacture and support existing BLUEline products.

Note the signficance of this part of the release, Richard. They have their own stuff ready to be manufactured there that isn't among the among the current offerings.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Jim
Will there be 2-brands out being built out Prescott then?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

It appears so

 

[Dolly Llama]

Is it true?

No.

I just talked to Thom.

..L.T.A.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

This announcement came to the Legends distributors, and has appeared on the other on line magazine "front pages", just this afternoon.

My comments are clarifications of what you see in the announcement.

I can't speak to what information Shawn was given. Other BlueLine representatives, as well as Legends representatives, only spoke to me in the broadest of terms with the vaguest of details, including whether or not it would be done at all.

The ownership of such groups are notoriously closed mouthed about transactions, even with management staff of their own companies.

Other than the fact that the existence of the interest in such a purchase was the industry's worst kept secret, as of this morning my information was still "No".

 

[packfancjh]

Just had a chanced to read the email we got from Legends right now. I'm curious as to what this will bring to the industry. Thom was very quiet on this as we talked to him a few weeks back and he said no we aren't for sale.

 

[Greenie]

Mu gut instinct says there was no purchase, and I am wondering where this press announcement that Jim posted was quoted from?

 

[packfancjh]

Do you want me to forward my email to you Greenie?

 

[Greenie]

Sure.

 

[steve g]

this might very well be a step in the wrong direction, I know a supplier or two that isn't happy with the way they have been treated by the new folks that took over drieaz. wonder what they are gonna do with vortex, its hard to imagine a guy spending 100k on a machine in this economy, or better yet even being able to get financing on such a thing.

I also wonder if they are gonna use their muscle to get distributors to pimp one machine over an other.

 

[Bob Foster]

I hope Bill can appreciate the value in hiring back Adam Hale.

 

[Shawn Forsythe]

I also wonder if they are gonna use their muscle to get distributors to pimp one machine over an other.

Steve,

It is actually going to be the other way around. You are going to see a semblance of exclusivity to the new brand. Just because you distribute one product, it has no bearing on your qualification for the other.

More of the details will surface as they will do a very good job at the introduction of information. They already have done what I have seen as a phenomenal job so far.

 

[Larry Cobb]

Jim;

I have a little different perspective on these buy-outs.

We were a Dri-Eaz & Unsmoke distributor before they combined.

After the merger, Unsmoke increased prices above a normal %.

Even after our objections and discussion of the present economy...
they maintained that the increases were justified.

Then they dropped some items that were being sold.

How does this merger enhance the appeal to the industry ??

Larry

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Mr Cobb

My post was meant as an announcement, not an endorsement

It is not my way to promote my brands or the activities of the manufacturers that I represent, nor do I discuss the impact such decisions make on my business publicly

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to clarify my intention

 

[Greenie]

Didn't mean to sound like i was questioning my friend Jim, just curious why Shawn York made the comments he did if such an acquisition was a done deal?

 

[steve g]

[quote="steve g":26egjnfo]I also wonder if they are gonna use their muscle to get distributors to pimp one machine over an other.

Steve,

It is actually going to be the other way around. You are going to see a semblance of exclusivity to the new brand. Just because you distribute one product, it has no bearing on your qualification for the other.

More of the details will surface as they will do a very good job at the introduction of information. They already have done what I have seen as a phenomenal job so far.[/quote:26egjnfo]


shawn you always paint things as rosey even if they stink, the whole BP direct deal is one example of you doing this. behind the scenes there are those that are not all that happy about the way this new companies has handled things, dude its mikeysboard, the shit can come out if need be, you aught to know that. you don't have to be a butt kiss all the time

 

[Mikey P]

Didn't mean to sound like i was questioning my friend Jim, just curious why Shawn York made the comments he did if such an acquisition was a done deal?

Thom flat out lied to him, thats why.

 

[The Preacher]

what does York have to do with BL???

i thought he sold out to them? did he get to keep a big slice of the pie???

 

[John Olson]

Shawn didn't lie, Thom didn't lie.. BlueLine wasn't "sold" until yesterday.

It was the worst kept secret in the industry but it isn't the best one. The next 12-18 months are gonna be a site to see

 

[Becker]

Sounds like Vortex is now on it's 5th or 6th wife?

 

[Scottyg]

Blueline has been shopping itself around for at least two years. The margin on restoration equipment allowed Legend the cash in a tight credit market to swoop in and shut other potential bidders out.

Dri-Eaz/Legend is trying to compete with Kartcher/Prochem. Same thing that's going on with Bridgepoint/Interlink and Jon-Don.

Look for more consolidation of the strong brands over the next year or two (IMHO!)

 

[Mikey P]

Mytee will be acquiring Cross -Threaded next month is what my Grapevine tells me.

 

[Greenie]

I never thought there was any more "margin" on restoration equip. than anything else in this biz, of course some "think" there are great margins on juice too, I differ, it's all jsut Stuff, and some makes a few dollars more, and some is a complete PITA to even stock, this is the business we chose...lol

 

[Kevin. McCreary]

to bad the husband keeps getting uglier!

 

[Greenie]

Well hells bells Lisa says #7 is the lucky number, might be good for Shawn's royalties!