E.J. Welch Parent Company Purchased By Private Equity Firm

The Merit Distribution Group, the parent company of wholesale flooring distributor E.J. Welch Company (Earth City, Mo.), was acquired by Center Rock Capital Partners, a private equity firm.

Merit company Lancaster, a distributor of paint and sundries, was also acquired in the purchase.

“With Center Rock as our partner, we are eager to pursue further growth via organic initiatives and acquisitions,” Merit CEO Mitch Jolley said in a statement.

Merit distributes more than 30,000 products from 600 manufacturers to customers in the Americas, Australia and Poland.