SSI Acquisition (TCW / Cerberus / Lantern) Recapitalizes School Specialty, Inc.

School Specialty Acquires SchoolKidz

November 2, 2022

Education

School Specialty, a leading provider of learning environments and K‑12 supplies, has acquired Chicago-area SchoolKidz, a provider of school-supply kitting and wellness kits. The purchase brings SchoolKidz’s Teacher Tailored and Kits for Kidz programs into the School Specialty platform to expand its bundled supply and nonprofit support capabilities nationwide; the seller was PE firm Skyview Capital.

Craftsman Capital Acquires MSB School Services

February 3, 2023

Education

Dallas-based private equity firm Craftsman Capital has acquired MSB School Services, a provider of special education software and consulting for K-12 districts. Craftsman Capital said it will work with MSB to expand capabilities and accelerate growth while leveraging MSB's X-Logs platform and consulting services.

Excolere Equity Partners Acquires EPS School Specialty from School Specialty, LLC

March 2, 2023

Education

Excolere Equity Partners acquired EPS School Specialty, the K–12 literacy and math solutions division of School Specialty, LLC, creating a standalone curriculum platform focused on remediation and evidence-based instruction. The deal was financed with an $87.5 million senior secured credit facility led by Comvest Credit Partners (which also made an equity co-investment), and Cambridge Information Group joined as a consortium investor; Excolere appointed Steven Guttentag as CEO to lead the business.

School Specialty Acquires Nasco Education U.S.

December 8, 2025

Education

School Specialty, a leading PreK-12 learning environments and supplies provider headquartered in Greenville, Wisconsin, has acquired Nasco Education U.S., a developer and distributor of hands-on instructional materials based in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. The acquisition expands School Specialty’s product portfolio and procurement efficiencies for K-12 customers while both businesses operate independently during an integration period.

KLH Capital Recapitalizes Thorpe Specialty Services

August 31, 2022

Industrial Services

KLH Capital has completed a recapitalization of Thorpe Specialty Services, partnering with Thorpe management while prior sponsor The Capstreet Group sold its stake. Thorpe, a Houston-based provider of refractory, corrosion, scaffolding and insulation maintenance and engineering services with ~1,250 employees, will use the partnership to accelerate growth and scale across petrochemical, power, mining and other industrial end markets.

Strength Capital Partners and Neuberger Berman Recapitalize ESP Associates

July 9, 2025

Engineering Services

Strength Capital Partners closed a single-asset continuation vehicle to recapitalize ESP Associates, providing liquidity to Strength Capital’s existing investors and bringing in follow-on capital led by investment funds affiliated with Neuberger Berman. The transaction includes significant rollover by SCP and the ESP management team and is intended to fund organic growth and strategic add-on M&A to expand the platform’s geographic footprint and service offerings.