Nickolas Asset Management (NAM) has acquired a resin processing and materials facility from Material Difference Technologies (MDT), a Florida-based supplier and processor of plastic resins serving industrial and consumer manufacturing markets. The deal adds a 120,000-square-foot operation with the ability to process millions of pounds of reprocessed plastic resins annually, expanding NAM’s materials platform and reinforcing the firm’s emphasis on asset- and infrastructure-heavy manufacturing.
The acquired site combines resin distribution with formulating, blending, and compounding capabilities that NAM said will support its broader manufacturing platform with tailored material solutions aligned to specific product, performance, and customer requirements. In addition to production capacity, the facility includes technical development support, quality assurance, and in-house analytical laboratory services.
NAM positioned the deal as a step toward deeper vertical integration, aiming to increase control over materials, quality, cost, and supply chain reliability across the businesses it owns and operates. By bringing materials processing closer to finished-product manufacturing, the firm expects to improve consistency and responsiveness while strengthening long-term competitiveness.
The facility is dedicated to recycling and reprocessing post-consumer and post-industrial plastic scrap into reusable resin pellets, a process NAM said diverts tens of millions of pounds of plastic annually from landfills. NAM added that the recycled resin product lines produced at the site will hold multiple third-party certifications, including SCS Global Services and the Association of Plastic Recyclers’ PCR Certification Program, which validate responsible recycling practices and quality standards.
NAM said the acquisition was led internally by CEO Brian Nichols, CFO Dan McMachen, and COO Joe Klein, who oversaw transaction execution, capital structuring, operational diligence, and integration planning. Jered Ingham, described as the second-generation owner who actively managed the business prior to the transaction, will remain with the company as operating Partner and Chief Operating Officer of the division to provide continuity across leadership, customer relationships, and operations.
NAM described itself as an evergreen, operator-led family office built on permanent capital and a long-term ownership philosophy. Following the acquisition, the firm said it maintains a national footprint of eight manufacturing facilities totaling approximately 2.5 million square feet of production space across the United States.
KEY QUOTES:
“This was a business where the owner was ready for retirement and needed a thoughtful exit. It was a well-run operation with good people and strong technical capability, but like many owner-operated manufacturing businesses, it had reached a transition point.”
“Traditional private equity often isn’t designed for situations like that. With our people, processes and capital, we can step in, modernize and professionalize the business quickly, invest in upgrading an aging asset base and continue operating it with the discipline required for the long term. This facility strengthens our materials platform and supports how we build and operate manufacturing businesses meant to last.”
Nickolas L. Reinhart, Founder, Nickolas Asset Management
