MINNEAPOLIS — AmeriPride Services, which supplies linen and uniform rental services in North America, recently acquired PLUS Linen and Uniform Services, headquartered in Canton, N.C. The Canton production facility and its service centers in Charlotte and Greenville will now operate as a wholly owned and fully functional AmeriPride branch.
“PLUS is a great fit for our company,” says AmeriPride President/CEO Bill Evans. “This acquisition expands our geographic territory in the area and supports our efforts to grow profitably. Our work over the past few years has established a solid foundation for growth, and that includes strategic acquisitions in our key markets.”
AmeriPride does not plan to make any major changes to PLUS in the foreseeable future and is keeping the branch open at full capacity under the “PLUS” name. Most employees and management have agreed to stay on board, including Kevin Lowery, who becomes the branch’s general manager.
“We will continue to operate the branch ‘business as usual’ aside from a few necessary systems changes,” explains John Sutherland, senior vice president of U.S. Operations at AmeriPride. “Overall, we feel this business combination is a big win for our two companies, employees and customers.”
PLUS is a fourth-generation family business that was founded in the 1920s by M.C. Sprinkle and owned and operated by the family for more than 90 years. The family considered several potential buyers before selecting AmeriPride.
“The similarities between our two companies and the personal connections we made with their management team sealed the deal for us,” says Lowery. “Going through the purchasing process with AmeriPride was a great experience, and I’ve gotten to know and trust the people I will be working with. I’m looking forward to taking this company to the next level under the new ownership.”
