MacPherson's, the largest provider of art and creative materials and services in North America, today announced that it has acquired the FREDRIX brand of canvas products from Tara Materials. Founded in 1868, FREDRIX is the oldest canvas brand in the United States and is among the top three canvas brands relied upon by artists throughout North America. With this acquisition, MacPherson's now owns two of the top three canvas brands – and distributes the top three (AA Canvas, FREDRIX, and Masterpiece Artist Canvas) – to artists via its robust distribution network.

This acquisition follows a series of strategic moves by MacPherson's to achieve the goal of expanding its product portfolio, services, and operational capabilities. The addition of FREDRIX further strengthens its ability to provide its customers with the best range of products to meet growing demand for fine art and creative supplies throughout North America.

"FREDRIX is an undisputed pioneer in providing premium canvas for all types of creative endeavors," said Dave Schofield, president and CEO, MacPherson's. "We are extremely excited to add FREDRIX to our portfolio of world class exclusive brands, continuing our strategy to provide the best and broadest array of products to the industry. We look forward to continuing the brand's legacy as a leader in our industry while ensuring it continues to evolve to meet the demands of our customers – and most importantly their customers – for decades to come"

Founded in 1868, FREDRIX is the oldest US manufacturer of canvas products. Today, the company boasts dozens of choices across five product families: Pro Series, Artist Series, Creative Series, Roll Canvas and Stretcher Bars. Throughout its history, FREDRIX has pioneered many advancements in canvas manufacturing, including the production of the first Rix Linen canvas in 1872, and 1883 patent for artist boards, its investment into automated panel machines in 1985, the launch of printable canvas in 1995, the co-invention of watercolor canvas with the Georgia Watercolor Society in 2004, and a patent for its 'Clever Lever' canvas kit in 2015.

"We have greatly enjoyed our stewardship of the FREDRIX brand for the past 51 years and look forward to watching this renowned brand continue as part of MacPherson's impressive portfolio of products," said Michael Benator, CEO, Tara Materials. "Their unwavering commitment to excellence in terms of brand management, operations and customer service gives us great confidence that this trusted brand and product catalog are in great hands and will continue to lead well into the future."