Tru Art Advertising Calendars (asi/92255) is continuing its growth trajectory.
The Iowa City, IA-based supplier of promotional calendars has announced the acquisition of Coshocton, Ohio-based M Line Calendars. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition follows the closing of M Line’s parent company, The Beach Company, effective this month.
According to a spokesperson at Tru Art, the remaining staff at M Line have retired. M Line’s products will now go to market under the Tru Art name.
“We have worked with many distributors large and small, and we appreciate the opportunity to serve each and every one of them,” said Jamie M. Beach of The Beach Company. “The distributors in this industry gave us the opportunity to do the work we love to do for five generations over 73 years.”
M Line was founded in 1901 and began calendar production in 1952. According to the combined company, the acquisition will preserve M Line’s legacy with an eye toward future growth.
“We see this as an opportunity to honor a remarkable history while investing in what comes next,” said David Bywater, a fifth-generation owner and the president of Tru Art. “This acquisition strengthens our business, preserves industry knowledge and reinforces our commitment to quality manufacturing.”
The acquisition supports Tru Art Advertising Calendars’ continued growth and investment in American manufacturing, while maintaining strong relationships with distributors and business partners nationwide, according to the company.
Tru Art was founded in 1896 and has since grown into a one-stop shop for calendar production, serving more than 1,500 promotional product distributors globally. Its calendar products include U.S. map calendars, academic planners and desk pads. Tru Art’s products are manufactured domestically and are produced using sustainable practices. The recyclable calendars are decorated with soy-based inks, UV inks and production inkjet printing.
