69����

School Specialty was founded in 1959.

In a statement through a public relations representative on Tuesday, School Specialty CEO Ryan Bohr said the plan is to gradually integrate the businesses together to “ensure a seamless experience” and to ensure both organizations grow through a “Better Together” experience.

Bohr called School Specialty a “leading provider” of learning environments, supplies and science curriculum, that curates products for hundreds of brands. Nasco has a similar business model, offering hands-on activity-based resources that support instruction in science, math, arts, agriculture, health and career and technical education. It also sells supplies to school districts.

“This acquisition will expand the range of solutions available to educators by combining School Specialty’s broad, future-ready product assortment with Nasco Education’s 80-year legacy of specialized, curated, experiential learning material,” Bohr said in the statement.

School Specialty serves five of every six school districts nationally, Bohr said. It has corporate offices, manufacturing sites and fulfillment centers in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois.

“The acquisition is designed to position us for the future,” Bohr said in the statement. “By combining our strengths, we create a valuable opportunity to leverage our existing operations, strengthen earnings, and reinvest in innovations that drive educational impact.”

As to the name of the Fort Atkinson business, Bohr did not rule out a change in the future but for now said it will remain Nasco.

“In the immediate term, both organizations will operate independently and the Nasco name will remain. Customers will continue working with the same contacts, account managers, and customer service teams they rely on today,” Bohr said.

Bohr said, however, that going forward “we will thoughtfully explore operational synergies that create efficiencies and enhance the customer experience.”

Bohr said School Specialty saw this as a “significant opportunity” for customers as they estimated that “nearly two-thirds” of Nasco customers are also School Specialty customers.

“Combining our companies will bring procurement efficiencies to our customers and expand the scope of products available to them, making buying easier, faster, and more efficient for educators,” Bohr said.

Nasco reduced its workforce through layoffs in 2025. There are no plans to reduce the workforce further, Bohr said. He said that in the “immediate term” there will be no changes in operations of either company.

The deal was closed on Dec. 1.