Diversified Labeling Solutions Acquired

Last week, news broke that Taiwan-headquartered TSC Auto ID Technology, a global provider of quality Auto-ID solutions for transportation and logistics, manufacturing and health care, industry and retail, acquired Top 50 Supplier Diversified Labeling Solutions Inc. (DLS).

Founded by Bob Hakman in 1985, DLS has grown into one of the largest B2B suppliers of high-quality, custom-printed, pressure-sensitive labels in the country, with over 200 team members, more than 320,000 square feet of production space and four locations in Illinois, Georgia, Texas and Nevada.

According to a press release, DLS will remain a separate entity, retain its name and brand, and maintain all of its current employees and executive leadership, including current CEO Jim Kersten. Customers need not worry, as all locations are expected to run and operate without disruption.

John Otott, TSC’s global general manager of the consumable products business unit, will oversee DLS operations from a TSC standpoint in partnership with Kersten.

“This is an extraordinary fit, and we’re excited to bring the advantages and benefits of this union to our partner base,” Otott said in statement. “Bob has built a wonderful company based on a foundation of exceptional business integrity, best-in-class product quality and a laser focus on customer needs. We will faithfully adhere to, and build upon, this excellent foundation as we continue to serve both our OEM and legacy DLS distributor partners.”

The DLS acquisition will give TSC the ability to offer competitive pricing on a wide variety of labels and other media distributed from DLS’ four strategic locations throughout the U.S.

DLS has repeatedly ranked among Print+Promo’s Top 50 Suppliers, most recently taking the 11th spot on our 2018 list with reported annual sales of $64.1 million. In a previously published interview with Kersten, the DLS head cited strong business partnerships as a key component to the supplier’s continued success—a point that DLS Director of Marketing James Cirigliano expanded on in Print+Promo’s August 2017 in-depth feature, titled “Suppliers and Distributors Can’t Afford to Break the Partnership Chain.”