Brook & Whittle acquires ILS and Wizard Labels

Jay Dollries founded ILS with Steve Wolf in 1996 and went on to start Wizard Labels with Steve Smith in 2013. ILS is a full-service provider of high digitally printed labels. Wizard Labels is an online custom product label company. Both companies, similar to Brook & Whittle, are focused on supplying pressure sensitive and shrink sleeve labels to several end markets including craft beverage, nutraceuticals, food, household and personal care. 

Dollries and Smith will continue their involvement and become part owners in Brook & Whittle while the ILS and Wizard Labels leadership teams will continue to focus on running their respective businesses as part of a new company.

‘We are thrilled to acquire leading providers of digital and custom online prime label solutions in North America. The founders of ILS and Wizard Labels have built remarkable companies that are exceptionally well-positioned for growth and we are incredibly excited for them to join Brook & Whittle as significant shareholders,’ comments Mark Pollard, CEO of Brook & Whittle.

‘There is significant benefit in the application of the ILS and Wizard Labels business model across Brook & Whittle,’ added Don Sturdivant, chairman of Brook & Whittle and operating partner at Snow Phipps. ‘Brook & Whittle, ILS and Wizard Labels all focus on similar growth-oriented end markets and product categories, namely pressure sensitive and shrink sleeve. We are eager to combine our efforts to collectively better serve our growing customer base.’

Dollries, who is the current CEO of ILS, will help transition the ILS platform to Brook & Whittle and become a strategic advisor and thought partner as a shareholder and board member of Brook & Whittle. 

‘ILS has proven its ability to maximize the capabilities of digital printing technology in unique ways to provide solutions for our customers. The opportunity to leverage our know-how across the broader Brook & Whittle platform will truly enhance our ability to scale the business model and growth prospects. In addition, ILS and Brook & Whittle share similar cultures and values, so this partnership is truly a great fit,’ said Dollries.

‘We are pleased to have the opportunity to partner with ILS and Wizard Labels and are very enthusiastic about our future together,’ said Gerald Sheehan, partner at Snow Phipps. ‘The acquisition will further enhance Brook & Whittle’s position as a leading provider of high-end labels across North America.’

ILS and Wizard Labels are the fourth and fifth transactions that Brook & Whittle anticipates completing since Snow Phipps’ initial investment in October 2017. Brook & Whittle acquired Prime Package & Label in November 2018, a shrink sleeve facility in Croydon in May 2020 and Label Impressions in June 2020.