Burgess Pigment Company to acquire Thiele Kaolin Company

Burgess Pigment Company (“Burgess Pigment”), a leading producer of speciality kaolin pigments and functional mineral products, and Thiele Kaolin Company (“Thiele”) have jointly announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Burgess Pigment will acquire Thiele, a global supplier of high-quality kaolin clay and silica products. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Sandersville, Georgia, Thiele Kaolin Company is recognised for its mining and processing operations, diverse product portfolio, and long-standing customer relationships across industries such as paper, packaging, coatings, construction materials, and other industrial applications. The company operates multiple mining and processing facilities across the United States and Europe, serving customers worldwide.

“Thiele is an exceptional business with a strong reputation for quality, reliability, and technical expertise,” said Sandy Burgess, President of Burgess Pigment. “The transaction will bring together two companies with complementary skills and product offerings and aligns closely with our long-term strategy to build a vertically integrated and differentiated speciality minerals platform. Together, we will be better positioned to better meet customer demand for consistent supply and to offer a broader range of high-performance solutions, while continuing to invest in our people, operations, and innovation capabilities.”

“Burgess Pigment shares our commitment to customer service, product quality, and operational excellence,” said Eric Tillirson, President of Thiele Kaolin Company. “This combination provides significant efficiencies, additional resources and scale to support our customers and employees and offers our shareholders liquidity for their investment while preserving the values and culture that have defined Thiele for decades.”

The transaction brings together two highly complementary kaolin businesses with shared roots in Sandersville, Georgia, one of the world’s most important kaolin-producing regions. The new company will provide a wider range of kaolin products and better technical and research support to meet customers' changing needs for performance and sustainability.

Upon completion of the transaction, Mr. Burgess will continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer and President of Burgess Pigment Company, while Mr. Tillirson will remain President of Thiele Kaolin Company. Following the completion of the transaction, both companies will operate as wholly owned subsidiaries of a newly formed holding company controlled by Burgess Pigment Company’s existing shareholders.

The transaction is expected to close in 2026, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals, along with other customary closing conditions. William Blair acted as financial advisor to Burgess Pigment Company, while Alston & Bird provided legal counsel. For Thiele Kaolin Company, Grace Matthews served as financial advisor, and Troutman Pepper Locke provided legal counsel. In addition, Kroll, LLC, acting as an independent financial advisor, delivered a fairness opinion stating that the base purchase price to be received by Thiele Kaolin Company’s shareholders in the proposed transaction is fair from a financial perspective.

Source: Thiele Kaolin