ARCHDALE, North Carolina, USA -- Novamelt GmbH has acquired the remaining 49% share of Novamelt-Jowat LLC from Jowat Corporation and Jowat AG. The purchase amount was not disclosed. The wholly-owned subsidiary will now be known as Novamelt Americas LLC. The company will expand its geographic support role to include all customers in North, Central, and South America.

Novamelt expanded to North America in 2005 in order to support its global customer base with local manufacturing and R&D, and to establish a direct investment presence in the US Dollar-denominated economy. Jowat Corporation was the perfect partner at that time. Jowat had land and a successful business operation with established business functions to support the JV in the start-up period.

Jowat and Novamelt will remain closely allied. Novamelt Americas will remain located on the Jowat campus, albeit with separate operations. The two companies will aid each other with in their respective market focuses: Jowat in woodworking / furniture, packaging and automotive, and Novamelt in label, tape and medical PSA markets. Jim Auber, current General Manager of the JV, is named President of the new Novamelt Americas LLC.

"Novamelt has grown significantly in North America since its founding in 2005. It is now independently handling the customer base, the applications support, and the product manufacturing, and is financially mature enough to operate on its own," says Auber. "We look forward to continuing to serve our customers with outstanding products and support."

"It was time in the growth phase of the subsidiary to expand its role to include all of Latin America from its well-equipped and well-manned manufacturing and applications lab site in North Carolina" says Novamelt CEO Harold Braun. "Novamelt will continue to place high importance and emphasis on its role and growth in the Americas."