MARS — James Austin Company was sold to the Canadian company KIK Custom Products earlier this spring, making the longtime family owned company a subsidiary of one of North America's largest independent manufacturers of consumer packaged goods.

Harry Austin, president of James Austin Company, said the fourth generation of Austins who currently run the business are getting close to retirement with no rising fifth generation to take over.

“As far as a succession plan, there was no one to turn the business over to within the family,” Austin said. “We decided to sell it, so the company can continue on as it is.”

KIK was one of Austin's biggest competitors in the industry, Austin said. KIK, based in Ontario, is a provider of auto antifreeze/coolant, performance chemicals and appearance products, as well as pool and spa additives.

“The Austin brands will still be around,” he said. “The Austin family will still be involved. The employees are still here coming to work in Mars and our other plants. We're just working together now.”

Austin's brother James Douglas and cousin John are still involved with the company and his cousin Lisa recently retired. The fifth generation of Austins are either too young to take the helm or have chosen other career paths outside the family business, Austin said.

The company employs 245 people at its four facilities, 140 of those are in the Mars facility, Austin said.

James Austin Company has manufacturing plants Ludlow, Mass., Statesville, N.C., and DeLand, Fla.

Austin said the company started looking for a buyer back in October. The sale was completed March 16.

The company was founded by Harry Austin's great-grandfather James Austin in 1889, and its website boasts that it was the oldest family owned bleach manufacturer in the country.

The company now sells retail bleach and ammonia, and laundry, dish, automotive and pool products under the Austin's name in independent grocery retailers and mass merchandisers and produces products for store brands like those of Giant Eagle.

“We're the hidden company behind a lot of brands that are in the area,” Austin said.

In addition to an aging executive management team, the retail market has been getting tougher as independent supermarkets like Friedman's have closed. Austin said his company had a nice presence at Friedman's Freshmarkets before the grocer closed early this year.

“In our business, it's a shrinking market,” he said. “When you lose a customer, you lose business volume. It doesn't just move on to someone else.”

All things considered, it was a good time to move on, Austin said, and the sale was made on good terms.

“We're sad that we sold the family business. But we're here to keep it going and to keep the Austin name out there in the community,” he said.