HarperLove has acquired ChromaScape’s corrugated products business, expanding its specialty chemical portfolio and strengthening its presence among corrugated box manufacturers across additional markets.

The acquired operation, formerly known as CEL Chemical, supplies chemicals and performance additives used in corrugated board production, including products designed for starch formulation, board performance and wet strength.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

For HarperLove, the deal adds established customer relationships and complementary products to its existing corrugated adhesives and additives business while supporting the broader packaging adhesives strategy of parent company HBM Holdings.

Acquisition Adds Three Specialty Product Lines

The ChromaScape corrugated business brings several established product families to HarperLove.

These include LBX®, which is designed as an alternative to borax and caustic chemicals traditionally used in starch formulations.

The acquired portfolio also includes CorrMax®, a range of additives intended to improve performance during corrugated manufacturing, and WaterGuard®, a wet-strength resin used where greater moisture resistance is required.

The products complement HarperLove’s existing focus on adhesives and performance chemistry for corrugated operations.

Rather than entering a completely new packaging segment, the acquisition deepens the company’s position within an industry it already serves.

HarperLove Expands Corrugated Customer Base

HarperLove said the transaction will broaden both its customer relationships and geographic reach.

Kenny Messer, president and CEO of HarperLove, described the acquisition as another step in the company’s long-term growth strategy.

The company expects to combine ChromaScape’s existing customer relationships with HarperLove’s technical expertise and manufacturing capabilities to serve corrugated producers across additional regions.

HarperLove also plans to add capabilities and personnel as it integrates the acquired operation.

Specific manufacturing locations, additional capacity or employee numbers associated with the transaction have not been disclosed.

Specialty Chemistry Plays a Role in Corrugated Production

Although corrugated packaging is predominantly fibre-based, its manufacturing performance also depends on the chemistry used throughout the converting process.

Starch adhesives are critical for bonding linerboard and fluting during corrugation, while additives can be used to adjust adhesive characteristics or improve performance for particular production and end-use requirements.

Wet-strength technologies can become particularly relevant when corrugated packaging is exposed to moisture or demanding distribution environments.

This makes specialty chemicals a relatively small but technically important part of the overall corrugated production system.

By acquiring the ChromaScape business, HarperLove is expanding the range of these solutions it can offer corrugated manufacturers.

HBM Holdings Builds Packaging Adhesives Platform

The transaction also strengthens the packaging adhesives platform within HBM Holdings, HarperLove’s parent company.

HBM is a privately held group focused on acquiring and partnering with middle-market industrial businesses.

HarperLove, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, specializes in adhesives, performance additives and technical solutions for corrugated packaging production.

The ChromaScape transaction adds another portfolio of established corrugated products rather than moving HarperLove outside its core market.

As integration progresses, the key developments to watch will be how HarperLove incorporates the LBX, CorrMax and WaterGuard ranges into its existing portfolio and how the acquisition changes its geographic coverage and customer base.

For corrugated producers, the deal brings the acquired specialty chemical products under a supplier already focused specifically on adhesive and process solutions for the corrugated packaging industry.

Last Updated on 26/08/2026 by Jota Machinery