RPM enjoys strong position as economy rebounds

RPM International Inc., the diversified company with a range of business units in the coatings and building-products industries, figures to be well positioned to capitalize on key market dynamics in the current economic climate. That was the opinion voiced confidently by P. Kelly Tompkins, the company’s executive vice president and chief financial officer. Tompkins said the industrial and consumer product mix of the company’s portfolio of business units puts RPM in a strong position to capitalize on several primary "market drivers." While the company has taken a conservative approach in the merger-and-acquisition arena during the economic downturn of the last year, Tompkins said the company remains "engaged" in the M&A picture, keeping the lines of communication open with prospective targets. "We believe there will be attractive opportunities for strategic expansion," he said. "We’re very bullish on our prospects for acquisitions."