8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (date of earliest event reported): June 17, 2021

ACME UNITED CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Connecticut	001-07698	06-0236700
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(Commission file number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
1 Waterview Drive, Shelton, Connecticut		06484
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (203) 254-6060

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐	Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
☐	Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $2.50 par value per share	ACU	NYSE American

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

ITEM1.02.  TERMINATION OF A MATERIAL DIFINITIVE AGREEMENT.

On June 16, 2021, the Company issued a press release announcing that its Paycheck Protection Program Loan of $3,508,047 has been fully forgiven by the Small Business Administration. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this current report.

ITEM 9.01. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

(c)       Exhibits

Exhibit Number	Description
99.1	Press release dated June 16, 2021.
104	Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

ACME UNITED CORPORATION

By	/s/  Walter C. Johnsen
	Walter C. Johnsen
	Chairman and
	Chief Executive Officer
Dated: June 17, 2021
By	/s/  Paul G. Driscoll
	Paul G. Driscoll
	Vice President and
	Chief Financial Officer
Dated: June 17, 2021

EX-99.1

ACME UNITED CORPORATION		NEWS RELEASE
CONTACT: Paul G. Driscoll	Acme United Corporation	1 Waterview Drive	Shelton, CT  06484
	Phone: (203) 254-6060	FAX: (203) 254-6521

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   June 16, 2021

ACME UNITED CORPORATION REPORTS PPP LOAN FORGIVENESS

SHELTON, CONN. – June 16, 2021 – Acme United Corporation (NYSE American: ACU) announced today that its Paycheck Protection (PPP) loan of $3,508,047 has been fully forgiven by the Small Business Administration, and that payment was remitted by the SBA to Acme United’s lender, HSBC Bank USA, NA, on June 9, 2021.

Walter Johnsen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Acme United, said “We appreciate the support of both HSBC and the SBA in extending the PPP loan to Acme United last year and the forgiveness of the loan.  Beginning in March 2020, Acme United encountered numerous business and operational uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP loan was a key factor in enabling Acme United to successfully meet the significant challenges that resulted from these uncertainties, including our ability to avoid laying off any of our employees during the pandemic.”

ACME UNITED CORPORATION is a leading worldwide supplier of innovative safety solutions and cutting technology to the school, home, office, hardware, sporting goods and industrial markets. Its leading brands include First Aid Only®,  First Aid Central®, PhysiciansCare®, Pac-Kit®,Spill Magic®, Westcott®, Clauss®, Camillus®, Cuda®, DMT®, and Med-Nap. For more information, visit www.acmeunited.com.  

Forward-looking statements in this report, including without limitation, statements related to the Company’s plans, strategies, objectives, expectations, intentions and adequacy of resources, are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including the impact that the global COVID-19 pandemic has had and will continue to have on the Company’s business, operations and financial results.  These include, the extent of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the duration, spread, severity, and any recurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic including through any new variant strains of the underlying virus; the effectiveness and availability of vaccines; the duration and scope of pandemic-related

government orders and restrictions on commercial and other activities, including retail store, office, school and restaurant closures; the duration and scope of the Company’s actions to maintain employee health at our offices, production facilities and distribution centers; the extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on overall demand for the Company’s products; the pace of recovery when an effective vaccine is widely available or when the pandemic otherwise subsides and the heightened impact the pandemic has on many of the risks described herein, including, without limitation, risks relating to the on-going world-wide economic downturn, and potential disruptions in our supply chain, any of which could adversely impact the Company’s ability to manufacture, source or distribute it products, both domestically and internationally.

These risks and uncertainties further include, without limitation, the following: (i) changes in the Company’s plans, strategies, objectives, expectations and intentions, which may be made at any time at the discretion of the Company; (ii) the impact of uncertainties in global economic conditions, whether caused by COVID-19 or otherwise, including the impact on the Company’s suppliers and customers; (iii) changes in client needs and consumer spending habits, including COVID-19 related changes; (iv) the impact of competition; (v) the impact of technological changes including, specifically, the growth of online marketing and sales activity; (vi) the Company’s ability to manage its growth effectively, including its ability to successfully integrate any business it might acquire; (vii) the Company’s ability to effectively manage its inventory in a rapidly changing business environment, including additional inventory acquired to respond to COVID-19 related uncertainties; (viii) currency fluctuations; (ix) international trade policies and their impact on demand for our products and our competitive position, including the imposition of new tariffs or changes in existing tariff rates; and (x) other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

#    #    #

XML

Document and Entity Information	Jun. 17, 2021
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	8-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Jun. 17, 2021
Entity Registrant Name	ACME UNITED CORP
Entity Central Index Key	0000002098
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity File Number	001-07698
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	CT
Entity Tax Identification Number	06-0236700
Entity Address, Address Line One	1 Waterview Drive
Entity Address, City or Town	Shelton
Entity Address, State or Province	CT
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	06484
City Area Code	203
Local Phone Number	254-6060
Written Communications	false
Soliciting Material	false
Pre-commencement Tender Offer	false
Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer	false
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, $2.50 par value per share
Trading Symbol	ACU
Security Exchange Name	NYSEAMER