Englander Container has purchased a Rogers, Ark., firm in a move executives mean to expand the company’s markets and further harden it against economic turbulence.

The purchase of Stribling Packaging & Display and marketing subsidiary Juiced Creative was finished on Friday, Englander president Hal Whitaker said. Juiced Creative is an advertising and marketing agency created in 2007 for Stribling’s clients.

The deal will give Englander access to the Rogers-Bentonville market, to Bentonville-based Wal-Mart and to the giant retailer’s suppliers, Chief Executive Officer Marty Englander said.

The move also will expand Englander’s markets nationally, he said.

Stribling’s work fits with that of Englander, which makes and distributes a variety of packaging and point-of-purchase display materials.

Englander production facilities are in Waco and Carrollton.

A sale and distribution center is in San Antonio.

Englander’s products range from plain corrugated boxes to retail store displays, Whitaker said.

Englander is keeping Stribling’s 27 employees, but renaming it Englander Container & Display-Northwest Arkansas. The Rogers facility will bring the number of people employed by Englander to 160, including 70 people at the Waco plant.

Englander is privately held and its leadership will not reveal Stribling’s purchase price.

Marty Englander’s father, Louis Englander, opened the company in Waco in 1967 when he saw a market for corrugated cardboard boxes.

Louis Englander remains the company’s chairman.

Englander began expanding beyond Waco with the 2004 purchase of the San Antonio sales and distribution center.

Marty Englander said after the 2001 recession, they wanted to diversify and strengthen the company to better withstand such problems. A 15-year strategic growth plan was the solution, he said.

Marty Englander said the company wasn’t planning on another purchase just now, but spotted the opportunity and took it.

The acquisition fit with the plan, he said.

Bill Stribling Jr., president of the Arkansas company, could not be reached for comment. A press statement quoted him as saying the Stribling management was happy about their company joining with Englander.

bteeter@wacotrib.com

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