TPM Sells ColorLab in Strategic Pivot to High-Tech and AI Solutions

GREENVILLE, SC – September 01, 2026 – In a move that signals a decisive strategic pivot, technology solutions provider TPM today announced the sale of its ColorLab division through a management-led acquisition. The transaction places the well-regarded branding and graphics business into the hands of its longtime Vice President, Dustin Batson, who assumes full ownership.

The deal represents a strategic unbundling, allowing two successful but divergent businesses to pursue more focused growth paths. For TPM, a company with a 50-year history of evolving from blueprinting to a regional software powerhouse, the divestment sharpens its commitment to high-growth technology sectors. For ColorLab, it marks the beginning of a new chapter as an independent entity, empowered to build on its three-decade legacy under proven leadership.

Backed by Cowart Awards, a 60-year-old Greenville family business and trusted TPM partner, the buyout ensures ColorLab remains a fixture in the local economy. The transition is designed for seamless continuity, with Batson leading the existing team and assuring clients that all operations will proceed without interruption.

A Tale of Two Strategies

The sale is the culmination of TPM's long-term strategic vision to concentrate its resources on the digital transformation of the Architecture, Engineering, Construction (AEC), and Manufacturing industries. By divesting the graphics and branding division, TPM is doubling down on its core identity as a technology solutions provider, freeing up capital and focus to accelerate investments in software, digital platforms, and artificial intelligence.

"ColorLab has become an exceptional business because of the people behind it," said Chris Fay, President of TPM, in the official announcement. "This transition positions ColorLab for continued growth while allowing TPM to remain focused on our long-term strategic vision. We're proud of what we've built together and excited to see them flourish."

This vision is not abstract. The company has been aggressively expanding its high-tech offerings. A key area of investment is TrebleHook, the AI-based solution that now powers TPM's CRM Solutions Division, delivering specialized Salesforce expertise to its core industrial clients. Furthermore, TPM has made significant inroads into advanced manufacturing, unveiling a state-of-the-art Additive Manufacturing Lab in Greenville in 2023 and a similar facility in Charlotte, NC, to serve as regional hubs for 3D printing services. By shedding a non-core asset, however successful, TPM can now compete more fiercely with specialized software and AI firms, leveraging its deep industry knowledge in AEC and manufacturing to deliver next-generation solutions.

Continuity and New Beginnings for ColorLab

While TPM looks toward a future defined by code and algorithms, ColorLab is poised to thrive by focusing on creativity and physical presence. Under the new ownership of Dustin Batson, the company’s mission to help brands “show up boldly in the real world” remains unchanged. The buyout is fundamentally a story of continuity, designed to preserve the talent, culture, and client relationships that defined ColorLab's success within TPM for over 30 years.

"This is an exciting milestone for our team and our customers," said Dustin Batson, now owner of ColorLab. "While our ownership structure is changing, everything our customers value about ColorLab remains the same. We'll continue delivering the service and creativity our customers expect while investing in the future of ColorLab."

This investment in the future is taking tangible form. At the end of September, ColorLab will relocate to a brand-new facility at 910 Laurens Road. The move, strategically planned to be just across the street from its current location, signals a commitment to upgrading its operational capabilities without disrupting its Greenville roots or the daily lives of its employees. The new space will support the company's work in creating branded environments, dynamic signage, and large-scale fleet graphics for its diverse corporate, education, and faith-based clientele.

The Power of the Management Buyout

This transaction is a textbook example of a management-led buyout (MBO), a strategic tool increasingly used to ensure the successful continuation of a business unit that no longer fits a parent company's core focus. Rather than selling to an outside firm or private equity group, an MBO empowers the leaders who built the business to take the helm.

"A management buyout is often the smartest play for a parent company looking to divest a healthy but non-core asset," noted one corporate strategist familiar with such deals. "You get a clean exit, and the business is left in the hands of those who know it best, which de-risks the transition for everyone involved—employees, customers, and the seller."

TPM's decision reflects this logic, positioning ColorLab for success with the leader who was instrumental in its growth. The involvement of Cowart Awards as a financial backer further grounds the deal in the local Greenville community. This is not a transaction driven by distant investors, but by established local business leaders who share a history and a vested interest in mutual success. It’s a model that rewards dedication, preserves institutional knowledge, and fosters a stable environment for continued growth.

Redrawing the Competitive Lines

With this strategic separation, both TPM and ColorLab emerge with clearer identities and more focused competitive positions. TPM is now a pure-play technology firm, unburdened by a division outside its primary AEC and manufacturing focus. It can now allocate its full energy toward innovation in 3D design software, additive manufacturing, and AI-driven CRM solutions, positioning itself as a leader in the technological evolution of heavy industry.

Simultaneously, ColorLab is unleashed as an agile, independent specialist in the competitive environmental graphics market. No longer a division within a larger tech company, it can now operate with the speed and flexibility of a dedicated creative firm. Its deep roots in the Greenville community, 30-year reputation, and the stability provided by Batson's leadership give it a formidable advantage against local and national competitors. As businesses continue to invest in creating immersive and memorable physical brand experiences, ColorLab is perfectly positioned to capture that demand, now with the autonomy to chart its own course.