Blacksmith Brands Announces Acquisition and Partnership With The Emerson Group

TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Nov. 6, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blacksmith Brands, Inc. announced that it had completed its acquisition of five over-the-counter consumer products brands from McNEIL-PPC, Inc. Blacksmith acquired the following branded consumer products: EFFERDENT(R) denture cleaner, EFFERGRIP(R) denture adhesive cream, LUDEN'S(R) throat drops, PEDIACARE(R) children's cough and cold medicine and PEDIACARE(R) Gentle Vapors waterless vaporizer, and NASALCROM(R), a nasal allergy relief spray.

Concurrent with this acquisition, Blacksmith Brands has announced a key business and equity partnership with The Emerson Group.. The Emerson Group, a premier sales and marketing company located in Wayne, PA, will provide sales and sales management services. Gerry Butler, Chief Sales Officer for Blacksmith Brands, said, "In my over 30 years in the consumer products industry, I've never encountered an organization with the dynamic abilities and great partnership qualities of The Emerson Group. They are led by a visionary leader, and the Emerson team is the finest organization with which I've ever had the privilege of working."

Peter Mann, CEO of Blacksmith, added, "We are pleased and proud to have The Emerson Group as our partner not only in the operation of our business, but as an equity partner in our new company. We believe that The Emerson Group will be a key catalyst in our plans to grow Blacksmith Brands into a major consumer products company. Scott Emerson, Chairman and CEO of The Emerson Group, said, "We are really excited about this new partnership with Blacksmith Brands. I've known this management team for many years now, and I'm looking forward to working with them to grow these brands and to make additional brand acquisitions in the months and years ahead."

About Blacksmith Brands, Inc.

Blacksmith Brands, Inc. is a new company formed on October 29, 2009 by Charlesbank Capital Partners, LLC to acquire and rejuvenate strong brands. Our mission is to provide sales, marketing, trade and consumer support to these brands in order to enhance their value and to build a strong portfolio through growth and acquisition. Led by industry veterans and backed by Charlesbank Capital Partners, LLC, Blacksmith Brands, Inc. continues to seek consumer products acquisition opportunities while building value in the current portfolio of well-known brands. Visit our website at www.blacksmithbrands.com to learn more about the company.

About Charlesbank Capital Partners

Charlesbank Capital Partners, LLC is a middle-market private equity investment firm managing more than $2 billion of capital. Charlesbank focuses on management-led buyouts and growth capital financings, typically investing $50 million to $100 million per transaction in companies with enterprise values of $100 million to $750 million. The firm seeks to partner with strong management teams to build companies with sustainable competitive advantages and excellent prospects for growth. For more information, visit www.charlesbank.com.

Customers, retailers or medical professionals with questions or comments about any of these brands can continue to utilize the existing product 800-numbers listed on product packaging or can visit www.blacksmithbrands.com for additional information.