Vi-Jon Dry Goods Business Commences Chapter 11 Process to Resolve Alleged Legacy Talc Claims

Nice-Pak, Germ-X and Other Emprise Businesses Are Not Impacted and Will Continue Normal Operations

ST. LOUIS, MO, UNITED STATES, August 3, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Emprise Group, Inc. (“Emprise”), a St. Louis-based, 100% employee-owned ESOP holding company, announced today that its dry goods subsidiary, Vi‑Jon, LLC (“Vi-Jon”), has commenced a voluntary Chapter 11 process to implement a global settlement resolving alleged legacy talc-related liabilities. The filing is limited to the Vi-Jon dry goods business and does not include Emprise Group, Vivos Holdings, Nice-Pak Products, UpLift Brands (including Germ-X), INSPR Labs, or Emprise’s international operations, all of which will continue operating normally.

The Chapter 11 filing involves only the Vi-Jon dry goods business, which primarily provides private brand dry bath products such as Epsom salts and body powder. The following businesses are not part of the filing and continue normal operations:

Nice-Pak Products

UpLift Brands, including Germ-X

INSPR Labs

Nice-Pak International

Nice-Pak Deutschland

Vivos Holdings

Emprise Group

The filing does not involve Germ-X branded products, Nice-Pak Products, or any of Emprise’s other operating businesses. Customers, suppliers, retailers, consumers, and employees of these businesses should expect no interruption to normal operations, product availability, customer service or business activities.

Vi‑Jon operates as a standalone subsidiary within the Emprise portfolio of companies. In 2023, Emprise completed a strategic reorganization that separated its operating businesses into distinct companies focused on different products, customers, and end markets. The Chapter 11 filing relates solely to the Vi-Jon dry goods business. No other Emprise subsidiary has filed for Chapter 11, and the Chapter 11 process is not expected to affect the operations, employees, customer relationships, products or brands of those businesses.

The non-debtor businesses include Vivos Holdings, a leading provider of healthful living products, and its operating companies; Nice-Pak Products, a leading producer of wet wipes and personal care products; UpLift Brands, owner of Germ-X and other consumer brands; INSPR Labs; and several international operating companies. These organizations continue to serve customers globally and are not debtors in the Chapter 11 case.

“This filing is focused exclusively on resolving alleged legacy talc-related liabilities associated with Vi-Jon’s dry goods business,” said Greg Billhartz, President and Chief Strategy Officer of Emprise Group and President and CEO of Vivos Holdings. “It is important to understand that our other businesses – including Nice-Pak, UpLift Brands, Germ-X, INSPR Labs and our international businesses – are not part of this filing and continue operating normally. Our focus remains on serving customers, supporting employees and creating long-term value for our employee-owners. We are confident that this process provides a pathway to resolve legacy issues while allowing our businesses to remain focused on serving customers, investing in growth, and preserving long-term value for employee-owners.”

Prior to its Chapter 11 filing, Vi-Jon entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement with Emprise, Emprise HPC, and counsel representing over 75% of holders of talc-related personal injury claims regarding a global resolution. The restructuring is intended to resolve all current and future alleged talc-related claims through a settlement trust in an efficient, court-supervised process, on an agreed, expedited timeline.

To support the restructuring process and business continuity, Emprise affiliates have committed significant financial support, subject to court approval. Emprise HPC has agreed, subject to Bankruptcy Court approval, to accelerate payment of approximately $8.1 million to Vi-Jon under an amended Limited Contribution Agreement. Emprise HPC has also agreed to contribute approximately $32 million when the Chapter 11 plan takes effect—$25 million of which will fund the settlement trust for talc claimants and approximately $7 million of which will pay the remaining costs of the Chapter 11 process. This funding is not subject to repayment by Vi-Jon. In exchange for these contributions, under the global settlement to be implemented as part of the Vi-Jon bankruptcy case, Emprise and the non-debtor businesses will be the beneficiaries of certain releases, injunctions, and other protections necessary to deliver complete finality to Emprise and the non-debtor businesses, including a release from Vi-Jon. The contemplated restructuring is also expected to provide for the transfer of certain of Vi-Jon’s assets to Emprise HPC or another Emprise affiliate in exchange for the contributions being made under the global settlement, which is designed to support the continuity of Vi-Jon’s business and products.

About Emprise

Based in St. Louis, MO, Emprise is a 100% employee-owned ESOP holding company that owns and invests in a diverse portfolio of consumer product manufacturing, personal care, wellness, and laboratory services businesses. Through its portfolio of operating businesses, including Nice-Pak Products, UpLift Brands, INSPR Labs and various international operating subsidiaries, Emprise serves leading retailers, brand owners and consumers around the world.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding the process and potential outcomes and timing of the Vi-Jon dry goods business Chapter 11 case, and contemplated financing and the Bankruptcy Court’s approval thereof. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “budget,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “envision,” “estimate,” “expect,” “guidance,” “indicate,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possibly,” “potential,” “predict,” “probably,” “pro forma,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” or “will,” or the negative or other variations thereof, and similar words or phrases or comparable terminology, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect Emprise’s expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside Emprise’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements.

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Media Contact

Kyle O’Reilly

Communications

koreilly@vivosholdings.com

(314)-733-2083

Kyle O'Reilly
Vivos Holdings
+1 (314)-733-2083
email us here

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