Longtime rivals in the library-supplies market, Demco and Gaylord Direct are now part of the same company. On May 19, Madison, WI-based Demco bought Gaylord for an undisclosed amount. Because the two companies have longstanding brand-name recognition, Demco plans to continue to operate Gaylord as a separate subsidiary.
Liverpool, NY-based Gaylord hired New York-based investment bank Jordan, Edmiston Group last November to make a sale. But Demco had been interested in acquiring Gaylord since November 2001, says its president/CEO, Bill Stroner. “We’ve had an interest in Gaylord for a number of years,” Stroner says. “We feel that the Gaylord name and brand recognition is very strong in the marketplace.”
Demco and Gaylord sell similar supplies, such as book jackets, desks, and archival supplies, but they cater to different segments of the library market. While Demco reaches most public and school libraries in the U.S., Gaylord has a stronghold in university and specialty libraries, such as museum and institutional libraries.