August 24, 2017 - KLH Capital is pleased to announce the merger of its portfolio company, Q Research Solutions (“QRS”), and Tragon Corporation (“Tragon”) to form one of the largest sensory and consumer products research companies in the U.S. with 85 employees across facilities in California, Chicago, and New Jersey.
The combination of QRS and Tragon is designed to meet the growing needs of the country’s leading consumer product companies with expanded research and collection capabilities and additional testing facilities. The merger includes RedJade®, a proprietary web-based application that collects, measures, and reports sensory data in real-time. The combined firms will initially trade as QRS-Tragon.
“We are excited to support the merger of two exceptional research companies as they combine complementary services, talents, and values to create a new industry leader with a national footprint” said James Darnell, Partner with KLH Capital. KLH Capital financed the transaction in partnership with Monroe Capital.
ABOUT TRAGON CORPORATION
Based in California and Chicago, Tragon has been a leader in sensory evaluation since its founding in 1974, and has pioneered many of the sensory methodologies considered industry standards today, including Tragon QDA®, QSI®, and PROP™. In addition to their team of 37 scientists, technologists, and marketing specialists, the firm also hosts testing facilities in California and Chicago that are powered by the latest technology, RedJade®, the web-based, real-time data collection system developed by Tragon.
ABOUT Q RESEARCH SOLUTIONS
Based in New Jersey, Q Research Solutions began in 1992 and currently employs 48 marketing, sensory, and consumer research professionals, with expertise in food & beverage, personal care, fine fragrance and home & fabric care. In 2015 the firm launched qPOD®, its portable olfactory device which has revolutionized the testing of scents and aromas. It also has a range of unique research products including QBLUEPRINT™, iQ™, qBio™, qPlay™ qdiscoveri™ and Q Partnership Solutions™. The firm is one of the founding industry members of the Rutgers University Center for Sensory Sciences & Innovation.
For more information about this transaction, please contact James Darnell (jdarnell@klhcapital.com).
