The Western New York Impact Investment Fund is proud to announce a $750,000 debt investment into Package Design & Supply, a portfolio company of Fairchild Capital Partners.
Headquartered on Buffalo’s East Side, Package Design & Supply is a growing manufacturer and distributor of packaging and shipping solutions. The loan will help retain about 30 jobs in a low-income neighborhood and support the company as it embarks upon a new growth strategy.
The WNY Impact Investment Fund makes investments in companies that have strong commercial promise but also make the community a better place to live, work and raise a family. With the PDS deal, the Fund has made 23 investments in 14 companies, totaling $13.15 million since it was formed in 2017.
“Strong manufacturing companies are an important element in neighborhood revitalization, providing opportunities for good-paying jobs and generating activity that feeds back into the community,” WNY Impact Investment Fund CEO Tom Quinn said. “PDS has been a durable employer on Buffalo’s East Side for decades and has a new ownership group that is poised to expand the business in a meaningful way.”
Package Design & Supply, Inc. manufactures and sells a wide range of packaging materials throughout the U.S., with an emphasis on the northeast and a strong sales presence in Western New York. The company was founded in the late 1995 by Keith and Christine Freeland and grew from humble beginnings – a handful of employees, some equipment and a box truck – into a mid-sized business headquartered on Buffalo’s East Side.
The company was acquired in August 2021 by Fairchild Capital Partners, the Buffalo-based private equity firm led by Ryan Martin that helps local companies with succession planning while doubling down on their local roots. In February 2023, Fairchild appointed Earl Wright, former area general manager for Georgia-Pacific Corporation, as CEO.
Wright is overseeing a new era of investment in Package Design to capture an opportunity for significant growth. The company expects to reach pre-pandemic revenue levels of approximately $15 million this year, with the goal of 25% growth within three years.
“This is a business with tremendous potential, not just to capitalize on growth opportunities but also to continue playing a key role as a stabilizing neighborhood force in Buffalo,” Martin said. “We are proud to partner with WNY Impact Investment Fund to refinance our existing debt and set the stage for an exciting future.”
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ABOUT THE WESTERN NEW YORK IMPACT INVESTMENT FUND: The Western New York Impact Investment Fund is a for-profit, place-based impact investment fund. Its innovative model has been featured recently in publications ranging from Forbes to The Foundation Review. Since late 2017, the Fund has invested more than $13 million in 14 regional organizations. Each of its deals is considered through an impact investing framework, meaning the commercial upside is weighed equally alongside the potential social impact in Western New York. The Fund has raised more than $20 million since its inception to deploy in support of companies in the community, including the recent closure of $12.45 million from new and existing investors. For more information, visit www.wnyimpact.com.
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