Manufacturing Acquisitions in Alabama

The Heico Companies has acquired Kershaw, a supplier of rail maintenance and vegetation management equipment, adding the business to Heico’s Heavy Equipment Segment alongside Pettibone, BARKO and ARDCO. Kershaw, formerly part of Progress Rail (a Caterpillar company), will support Heico’s capability and market expansion in rail, forestry and maintenance-of-way equipment markets.

Generational Group advised Holley Steel, Inc., a family-owned steel fabrication and erection company based in Elmore, Alabama, on its sale to an individual investor. The transaction closed July 1, 2025; Holley Steel operates a 22,000 square-foot facility and provides structural and miscellaneous steel services to commercial and industrial clients across the Southeast.

Netherlands-based Sonic Group has acquired Sonic Tools USA, its exclusive North American distribution partner, making the Auburn, Alabama business a wholly owned subsidiary. The deal (terms undisclosed) is intended to strengthen Sonic Group's North American distribution network and accelerate growth across the U.S., Canada and Mexico while Sonic Tools USA continues operating from its Auburn facilities under CEO Colby McConnell.

ASSA ABLOY has acquired Norshield Security Products, a U.S.-based manufacturer of certified ballistic, attack- and blast-resistant openings and enclosures, based in Montgomery, Alabama. The acquisition, from the Spell Family Office/Spell Capital Partners, expands ASSA ABLOY's high-security product portfolio and is expected to be accretive to earnings immediately.

Duravant LLC has acquired T-TEK Material Handling LLC, a Montgomery, Alabama-based manufacturer of high-speed end-of-line packaging machinery. The acquisition expands Duravant's packaging solutions portfolio—adding palletizers, depalletizers, conveyors and turnkey end-of-line systems to better serve food, beverage and consumer packaged goods customers.

Available Plastics, Inc., a Huntsville, Alabama-based PVC extrusion and injection molding manufacturer, was sold by owner Suanne Yarborough to a group of private investors. FourBridges Capital Advisors served as exclusive advisor; CEO Keven Cook and Operations Manager Anthony Peavy will remain with the company. The company operates a 120,000 sq. ft. facility with 8 extrusion and 3 injection molding lines and has 46 full-time employees.

Precision Pulley & Idler (PPI) has acquired Continental Global Material Handling (CGMH) from Stellex Capital Management. CGMH, a Winfield, Alabama-based designer and manufacturer of bulk material handling conveyor systems, was grown under Stellex ownership and will join PPI's conveyor components platform to expand its capabilities and product offering.

Plasma Processes, a Huntsville-based provider of ultra-high temperature materials, coatings and propulsion systems, has acquired Metaltech Machine & Tool, a Scottsboro, Alabama wire EDM-focused machine shop that has supported customers for 27 years and supplied Plasma for over 15 years. The purchase vertically integrates key machining and metal-finishing capabilities into the Plasma Processes platform, which is backed by private equity firm Blue Sea Capital.

Cooper Lumber (The Cooper Group, Inc.) has acquired Thomasville Lumber Company, Inc., a family-owned pine sawmill that produces rough and dressed pine lumber for domestic and export markets. The acquisition, finalized in February 2024, increases Cooper Lumber's pine production capacity and consolidates operations in the southeastern United States to better meet growing customer demand.

Blackstone Energy Transition Partners closed the acquisition of Power Grid Components, Inc. (PGC) from Shorehill Capital LLC on November 30, 2023. PGC is a U.S. designer and manufacturer of critical electrical grid components (switchgear, insulators, and instrument transformers); Blackstone said the purchase supports its energy-transition strategy to modernize and harden the electrical grid while scaling PGC's platform.

Hartzell Engine Tech has acquired Kelly Aero LLC, an aftermarket maker of aircraft magnetos, replacement parts, and ignition harnesses, adding roughly 40 employees and manufacturing capacity in Montgomery, Alabama. Hartzell will evaluate the products in 2024, pursue PMA approval, and plans to rebrand the line as PowerUp Ignition Systems while integrating production into its Montgomery facility and service work at sister company Quality Aircraft Accessories.

Construction Forms, Inc. (a portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital) has acquired Tricon Wear Solutions, a manufacturer of abrasion- and wear-resistant steel plates and fabricated products. The acquisition expands CFI's portfolio and manufacturing footprint, creating a broader industrial wear-parts platform serving end markets including mining, pulp & paper, and aggregates.

Rulmeca Holding Spa (Rulmeca Group) has acquired Douglas Manufacturing Company, Inc., effective April 20. The acquisition integrates Douglas into Rulmeca's global materials-handling platform to expand Rulmeca's presence in the United States while giving Douglas access to greater investment, global supply chains, and a broader product portfolio.

Clearlake Capital Group has acquired a majority stake in BBB Industries, a sustainable manufacturer of automotive, industrial and renewable energy parts, with Genstar Capital retaining a minority investment and BBB management staying on. The transaction positions Clearlake to expand BBB's platform and capabilities — including its TerrePower division focused on upcycling EV batteries and renewable energy — to drive further growth across automotive and broader industrial and energy end markets.

Druid Capital Partners and Elyton Capital have completed the acquisition of Franklin Iron Works, Inc. and Alabama Castings, LLC (collectively "Franklin Iron"). The firms are partnering with existing management to expand capacity and upgrade equipment to serve growth end markets including power, wastewater, infrastructure and agriculture; Franklin Iron operates two Alabama facilities in Thorsby and Aliceville and employs approximately 145 people.

GRT Rubber Technologies (GRT), a PE-backed manufacturer of engineered rubber products, acquired Valley Rubber, a maker of custom rubber solutions for mining, aggregates and industrial applications. The deal, supported by a $22.1 million follow-on investment from Main Street Capital Corporation to GRT, expands GRT's product portfolio, end-market exposure and international footprint (notably Chile, Mexico and Peru).

New Orleans-based private equity firm LongueVue Capital has partnered with the management team of Associated MetalCast to provide growth capital to fund the precision manufacturer's continued expansion. Associated MetalCast, headquartered in Oxford, Alabama, supplies tight-tolerance cast and machined metal components and value-added finishing and inventory management services to OEMs across water infrastructure, vertical transportation and automotive end markets.

OneWater Marine Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire T-H Marine, a leading provider of branded marine parts and accessories, for approximately $185 million. The acquisition, expected to close in Q4 2021, advances OneWater’s growth and diversification strategy by expanding its parts & accessories offering, and is expected to be immediately accretive to revenue, margins and EPS.

DeSHAZO has acquired Proto Machine Works, LLC, a Huntsville, Alabama-based designer and manufacturer of custom industrial equipment and automated machinery. The acquisition expands DeSHAZO's industrial solutions and robotics capabilities, adding engineering, prototyping and machine-building expertise to its automation and overhead crane offerings.

St. Louis-based private equity firm Holleway Capital Partners has acquired T-TEK Material Handling, a Montgomery, Alabama manufacturer of high-speed palletizing, depalletizing and conveying systems. The transaction was completed with subordinated debt and equity provided by Capital For Business (CFB), and T-TEK management (Michael and Brian Traff) rolled/retained ownership and will remain with the company.

Westbridge Capital Ltd. has closed the acquisition of Seam Seal International, a U.S.-based manufacturer of high-performance seam sealing tapes and adhesive films. Westbridge plans to accelerate growth by expanding retail channels and international markets, installing Ryan Fisher as CEO while retaining founding members Chris Wright and Chris Resha in the continuing management team.

ATWEC Technologies, Inc. (OTC: ATWT), a Memphis-based safety and security technology company, acquired its contract manufacturer Assembled Products, Inc. in a transaction valued at $2.6 million in cash and stock. The acquisition brings manufacturing in-house at Assembled Products' Rogersville, Alabama facility to reduce production costs, increase margins, and accelerate product development for ATWEC's child safety and vehicle sanitation systems.

Chart Industries completed the acquisition of Worthington Industries' cryogenic trailer and hydrogen trailer transport assets, including the Theodore, Alabama manufacturing site, related IP, equipment and repair backlog. The facility (approximately 300,000 sq ft) and its employees will join Chart as the company expands its mobile cryogenics and hydrogen transport capabilities, with expected hydrogen-related revenue from the site of $15–20 million in 2021 (with upside).

Wheel Pros, a Clearlake-backed designer and distributor of automotive aftermarket wheels, has acquired the assets of the Borbet manufacturing facility in Auburn, Alabama. The acquisition converts the plant to aftermarket cast wheel production, expands Wheel Pros' domestic manufacturing footprint alongside its York, South Carolina facility, and is expected to create over 300 full-time jobs while helping reach a run-rate of ~1.5 million wheels annually across the company's U.S. operations.

Industrial Opportunity Partners announced that its portfolio company SRR Holdings, Inc. (dba Royston Group) has acquired the assets of Southern CaseArts. Southern CaseArts, a designer and manufacturer of refrigerated and custom merchandising cases for grocery and convenience retailers, will join Royston Group to expand its retail fixture and merchandiser capabilities; founder Gene Cary will join Royston as Senior VP of Corporate Development.

WorldWide Electric Corporation has acquired Louis Allis, a specialty electric motor manufacturer based outside Birmingham, Alabama, in a transaction led by advisor Business Acquisition & Merger Associates (BAMA). The deal adds Louis Allis's high-horsepower specialty motor manufacturing and large-format service capabilities to WorldWide's platform (a portfolio company of Graycliff Partners), expanding the combined company's turnkey industrial motor offering.

Neenah, Inc. agreed to acquire Vectorply Corporation from MSouth Equity Partners for $155 million in cash. Vectorply, a Phenix City, Alabama-based manufacturer of high-performance composite reinforcement fabrics with annual sales over $70 million, will broaden Neenah's technical products platform and is expected to close April 1, 2020.

Power Grid Components, a platform formed by Shorehill Capital and industry veteran Rick McClure, completed the acquisition of Royal Switchgear Manufacturing Company, Inc. in December 2019. The deal expands Power Grid's product offering into high-voltage switchgear and power connectors; Joe Carton became President of Royal and joined Power Grid's board. Financing was provided by Antares Capital, Maranon Capital and Fidus Investment Corporation.

Valesco Industries completed a majority buyout of T-H Marine Supplies, Inc., a Huntsville, Alabama-based manufacturer of recreational boat parts and marine accessories. Brookside provided subordinated debt and an equity co-investment to facilitate the transaction; the deal recapitalized the existing ownership group and will support growth initiatives including expansion of T-H Marine's e-commerce footprint.

MSouth Equity Partners, in partnership with Vectorply management and Northstar Capital, closed the acquisition of Vectorply Corporation, a developer and manufacturer of high-performance reinforcement fabrics for composite materials. The investment positions Vectorply to capitalize on growth in wind energy and other end markets including marine, transportation and sports/recreation.