October 2, 2018, Cartersville, GA. “The partnership between Panolam and NewStar is brand new, and full of mutual promise,” says Tom Kell, President of NewStar Adhesives. Combining Panolam’s distribution footprint and branding with NewStar’s adhesives and expertise enables the local Pionite or Nevamar distributor to quickly bring a quality package of adhesives and laminate to its end-user customers. NewStar adhesives are specially formulated for Nevamar and Pionite.

“In our ongoing effort to provide a full range of product solutions for our customers, Panolam Surface Systems is now offering adhesives made by NewStar that are specially formulated for our Nevamar and Pionite laminate products,” said Jeff Muller, Executive Vice President for Panolam Surface Systems. “Virtually all laminate products require contact adhesive to adhere it to a substrate. By offering a laminate and adhesive package that is designed to work together, we are helping our customers save valuable resources and achieve their project goals faster.”

Because these products are designed to work together, it eliminates the guesswork for applications that may require an adhesive with a faster tack or higher temperature resistance. Beyond meeting needs for diverse applications, NewStar also seeks to help Nevamar and Pionite’s customers remain compliant with new or changing environmental regulations.

“With regulations being different in each market and industry, the customer may have a particular requirement, and our salespeople will work alongside Nevamar and Pionite distributors to identify those needs and match it with our products,” said Leonard Gilman, VP of Sales for NewStar. “Whether the requirement is to meet SCAQMD Rule 1168, the New 2017 CARB regulations or to be LEED compliant or OTC compliant, NewStar has the right adhesive for the project.

NewStar’s Gilman adds, “This partnership is a great win-win for everybody involved — more sales, more profits, and a stronger brand!” Founded in 2013, NewStar principals are formerly from STA-PUT/ITW, and NorthStar/3M and all have extensive backgrounds in the adhesives industry in manufacturing, sales, technology, and administration. As Tom Kell, president of NewStar, put it, “Our team all have experience with rapid growth and in building companies from the ground up.” So while 50 percent growth annually might intimidate some, for Kell and the NewStar team, it’s business as usual.