Appleton Papers Inc. and Hicks Acquisition Company II, Inc. recently announced a definitive agreement under which Appleton will engage in a business combination with Hicks Acquisition Company II valued at $675 million. The combined company will be listed on the Nasdaq exchange, positioning Appleton for long-term growth and profitability with an improved balance sheet and greater access to capital. Appleton is a leading manufacturer of specialty high value-added coated paper products and a provider of proprietary encapsulation applications. Hicks Acquisition Company II is a special purpose acquisition company founded and headed by Thomas O. Hicks with approximately $149.3 million of cash in trust.
It was also announced today that when the transaction closes Appleton will change its corporate name to Appvion. The new name combines the words “applied” and “innovation,” reflecting the company‟s successful transformation from a paper company to a business focused on coating formulations and applications, and specialty chemicals.
