Arcline Acquires Kaman Corporation for $1.8 Billion

Arcline Investment Management Acquires Controlling Stake in Air Comm Corporation

July 6, 2021

Aerospace & Defense

Arcline Investment Management acquired a controlling stake in Air Comm Corporation in a transaction valuing the company at $250 million; Dave Harrison remains a significant minority shareholder and will serve as Chairman. Air Comm, based in Westminster, Colorado, designs, manufactures, and services environmental control and thermal management systems for aerospace OEMs, fleets and aftermarket service providers; Arcline plans to partner with management to expand MRO capabilities and pursue organic and inorganic growth.

Littlejohn & Co. Acquires Kaman's Distribution Unit

June 26, 2019

Logistics & Distribution

Littlejohn & Co. has completed the $700 million acquisition of Kaman Corp.'s distribution unit, transferring roughly 2,200 employees across about 220 U.S. locations and Puerto Rico to Littlejohn's industrial portfolio. Kaman said the divestiture lets it refocus on its core aerospace and engineered products businesses while Littlejohn expands its industrial distribution holdings.

Arcline Investment Management Acquires Hartzell Aviation

October 16, 2023

Aerospace & Defense

Arcline Investment Management, a growth-oriented private equity firm, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Hartzell Aviation from Tailwind Technologies. Hartzell, headquartered in Piqua, Ohio, designs and manufactures aircraft propellers and engine accessories through its Hartzell Propeller and Hartzell Engine Tech business units; Arcline said the acquisition fits its strategy of investing in critical suppliers and will support the company's next phase of growth.

Motion Industries (Genuine Parts Company) Acquires Kaman Distribution Group for $1.3B

December 16, 2021

Industrial Services

Motion Industries, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company, agreed to acquire Kaman Distribution Group from Littlejohn & Co. for approximately $1.3 billion in cash. KDG, headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut, operates ~220 locations with ~1,700 employees and is expected to generate roughly $1.1 billion of revenue in 2022; the deal is expected to close in Q1 2022 and deliver $50M+ of run-rate synergies.

Karman Space & Defense Acquires Five Axis Industries

October 28, 2025

Aerospace & Defense

Karman Space & Defense (NYSE: KRMN) acquired Five Axis Industries, an Arlington, Washington-based supplier of advanced nozzle and fuel system subsystems, for $83 million in cash plus approximately $5 million in Karman shares (about $88 million total). The acquisition, which closed October 28, 2025, expands Karman's propulsion and launch-system capabilities by adding proprietary nozzle, spun-form and 3D-printed Inconel technologies and was funded in part by an increase to Karman's Term Loan B.

Arcline Investment Management Acquires Majority Interest in Akron Biotechnology

September 11, 2019

Biotechnology

Arcline Investment Management has acquired a majority interest in Akron Biotechnology LLC, a supplier of cGMP-compliant materials and services for cell and gene therapy manufacturers. Akron will remain led by founder and CEO Dr. Claudia Zylberberg, and Arcline plans to expand Akron's manufacturing capacity and pursue complementary acquisitions to build a platform in regenerative medicine.