Private Equity-Backed Acquisitions in Illinois

Azuria Water Solutions, a New Mountain Capital portfolio company, has acquired Waterline Renewal Technologies from Behrman Capital. Financial terms were not disclosed; Waterline is headquartered in Ottawa, Illinois and provides engineered products and services for trenchless rehabilitation of wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.

Scale, an EQT-backed provider of on-site energy solutions, has acquired Reload, a powered land development platform focused on siting, designing, and permitting gigawatt-scale data center campuses. The deal adds Reload's grid-scale development expertise and multi-gigawatt pipeline to Scale's data center energy offering to accelerate speed-to-power for hyperscalers and other large customers.

RevSpring, a Frazier Healthcare Partners portfolio company, has acquired TrustCommerce, a payments and gateway provider previously owned by Waud Capital Partners and part of the Sphere family. The deal expands RevSpring's integrated payments footprint and EHR gateway connectivity to provide greater payment visibility, routing flexibility, and simplified reconciliation across provider and payer revenue cycles.

Investindustrial has completed a $2.9 billion all-cash take-private acquisition of TreeHouse Foods, with Industrial F&B Investments III, Inc. merged into TreeHouse Foods. TreeHouse shareholders received $22.50 per share plus a contingent value right tied to ongoing litigation proceeds; the deal takes TreeHouse Foods private to support operational improvements and international expansion under Investindustrial.

The State Group, a portfolio company of funds managed by Apollo, has acquired Ruder Electric, a Kankakee, Illinois-based electrical contractor. The add-on expands The State Group's footprint into central and northern Illinois and brings Ruder Electric's electrical construction, maintenance, fire, security, communications, utility, and safety systems capabilities (including over 100 union electricians) into the platform.

Affiliates of 26North Partners LP acquired a controlling interest in The Middleby Corporation’s Residential Kitchen business, with Middleby retaining a significant non‑controlling stake through a joint venture. The business has been rebranded as Composition Brands and will operate as an independent platform housing premium and ultra‑luxury residential kitchen and outdoor living brands including Viking, AGA, Rangemaster, La Cornue, Lynx and U-Line.

SI Solutions, through its advanced engineering division Structural Integrity Associates (SIA), has acquired Radiological Solutions, Inc., a nuclear engineering partner that specializes in plant chemistry, radiological controls, radiation protection, and specialized monitoring equipment. The acquisition expands SIA's capabilities in nuclear chemistry, radiation management, emergency preparedness and equipment design and brings Radiological Solutions' team and expertise (based outside Chicago) into SI Solutions' PE-backed platform.

Schneider Geospatial, an Align Capital Partners portfolio company, has acquired Bruce Harris & Associates (BHA), a Batavia, Illinois–based GIS consulting firm specializing in parcel mapping, geodatabase design and land records modernization. The add-on expands Schneider Geospatial’s services and delivery capacity for complex parcel and land-records programs for state and local governments.

Salt Creek Capital, a San Francisco Bay Area private equity firm, has acquired Builders Cabinet, Inc., a Chicago-based designer, manufacturer and installer of premium and semi-custom cabinetry serving the greater Chicagoland market. Founder and president Brian Benner prepared for retirement as part of the transaction; VP Brian Benner (owner) will transition out and Ben VanDixhorn will continue as vice president to support growth under Salt Creek's ownership.

Concentric Equity Partners, a Chicago-based private investment firm, has acquired Aleysian, a Salesforce implementation and advisory firm. As part of the transaction Aleysian named Jon Klinepeter as CEO and moved former CEO Dustin Ward into the COO role to support scaled delivery and accelerated investments in Salesforce capabilities.

PRO-SET Formulated Resin Systems, LLC (a holding of Iron Path Capital) has acquired Universal Chemicals and Coatings, Inc. (UNICHEM), a family-owned manufacturer of industrial coatings, laminating adhesives and container linings. The deal expands PRO-SET’s formulated coatings and laminating adhesive capabilities as an add-on to its growing resin systems platform; financial terms were not disclosed.

Platinum Equity has acquired Czarnowski Collective, a Chicago-based experiential marketing and event production firm, from CEO Mark Nagle and the Nagle family. The deal includes a leadership transition (Jim Milanowski to become CEO) and signals Platinum’s intent to invest in systems, expand footprint and pursue strategic add-ons while preserving the company’s culture.

Arora Engineers, a portfolio company of Jacmel Partners, has acquired J.A. Watts, LLC (JWI), a Chicago-based construction, program and project management firm. The add-on strengthens Arora's capabilities in program and construction management—particularly in aviation and transportation—enabling integrated services across planning, design and construction execution.

Alliance Fleet, a portfolio company of Owner Resource Group (ORG), has acquired Vital Truck & Van, a light commercial vehicle upfitter headquartered in Batavia, Illinois, with additional locations in Colorado. Vital's founders will join Alliance Fleet's leadership team and retain an ownership stake as the combined company pursues a national dropship upfitting facility network to accelerate delivery and expand geographic coverage.

Purpose Legal has acquired Hire Counsel, a 30+-year managed review and flexible legal staffing provider, to create an integrated managed review, staffing and legal technology platform. The deal—supported by Purpose Legal’s majority investor Blue Sage Capital and with Hire Counsel previously held by Long Point Capital—combines Hire Counsel’s talent network and delivery capabilities with Purpose Legal’s eDiscovery, digital forensics and AI-enabled review services; financial terms were not disclosed.

iAltA Holdings, a WestCap‑backed private markets infrastructure company, has acquired BridgeFT, a cloud‑native, API‑first wealth infrastructure software provider. The acquisition brings BridgeFT’s data aggregation and analytics capabilities into iAltA’s platform to broaden its wealth data and intelligence infrastructure for financial institutions, fintechs, and RIAs.

Radial Equity Partners has acquired Cortina, a Franklin Park, Illinois-based manufacturer of traffic and work zone safety products, and will merge it with Radial’s 2024 portfolio company Plasticade. The Giannelli family will retain an ownership stake and Matt Soule has been named interim CEO of the combined business to accelerate growth and expand product and manufacturing capabilities.

LindFast Solutions Group, a portfolio company of Nautic Partners, has acquired AZ Wire & Cable from private equity owner MFG Partners. AZ, a Northbrook, Illinois-based master distributor of industrial, commercial, and specialty wire and cable, will join LSG’s distribution platform to expand product and geographic reach; financial terms were not disclosed.

Calera Capital, a middle-market private equity firm, has acquired ReVamp Companies, a national provider of specialty floor and surface coatings, fencing, and decking replacement and installation services, from Bertram Capital. ReVamp is headquartered in Freeport, Illinois, operates 14 brands across more than 60 locations in nearly 20 states, and Calera said the investment will support platform expansion, innovation, and continued growth under founder Jeff Gear and the existing management team.

SupplyOne, a national value‑added packaging distributor, has acquired Wertheimer Box, a long-established corrugated packaging provider based in McCook, Illinois. The deal expands SupplyOne’s Midwest/Chicago footprint and strengthens its custom corrugated and e-commerce packaging capabilities.

Crescendo Capital Partners, together with operators from Construction Capital Group, has acquired Peoria Industrial Piping Company (PIPCO) and created a new holding company, Essential Facility & Infrastructure Services (EFI Services), with PIPCO as the first operating company. Fidus Capital provided term debt and an equity co-investment; the Cicciarelli family (sellers) retain equity and will remain in leadership roles as the sponsors build a regionally dominant MEP and fire protection platform in the Midwest.

AVANT, a Chicago-based technology services distributor and sales-enablement platform for Trusted Advisors, received a strategic growth investment from Court Square Capital Partners with a reinvestment from existing partner Pamlico Capital. The founders and executive leadership retain significant ownership and will continue to run the business as the new capital will be used to scale AVANT's platform, capabilities, and support continued growth initiatives.

The Riverside Company-backed Vomela acquired Moss Inc., a global producer of premium event and retail graphics and complex structures, from investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital. The transaction merges Vomela’s Fusion events unit into Moss (to operate as Moss, A Vomela Company), expanding Vomela’s European footprint and creating a larger global experiential events production platform.

Bertram Capital has made an investment in Left Lane Auto, a Champaign, Illinois–headquartered tire retail and automotive-service platform operating more than 75 locations across 18 states. Terms were not disclosed; Bertram will partner with Left Lane’s management to accelerate growth, invest in technology through Bertram Labs, and support continued acquisitions to build a national platform.

Equity Group Investments (EGI) has made an investment in CIT Trucks, a commercial truck dealer headquartered in Normal, Illinois. EGI will partner with CIT's senior management (who retain an ownership stake) to support growth and expansion across the Midwest as the current CEO retires and the president assumes the CEO role.

Boston-based private equity firm Union Park Capital has acquired GAM Enterprises, a Mount Prospect, Illinois manufacturer of precision gear reducers, couplings, and custom motion control solutions. The deal establishes GAM as the platform for Union Park’s new precision motion control strategy to accelerate growth, expand capabilities, and pursue strategic add-on acquisitions; terms were not disclosed.

Heidrick & Struggles has been taken private in a approximately $1.3 billion transaction led by Advent International and Corvex Private Equity with participation from a global network of strategic investors including Salem Capital Management, Mousse Partners, TF Cornerstone, HighSage Ventures and Barcliff Partners. The deal, which includes a substantial co-investment from Heidrick & Struggles leaders and partners, will support the company's multi-year growth strategy and investments in new technologies and capabilities while the business continues operating under its current brand.

BCP-backed Brailsford & Dunlavey (B&D) and Project Management Advisors (PMA) have merged to form an integrated institutional program management and real estate advisory platform. The combined firm—supported by Bernhard Capital Partners—brings together more than 450 professionals and expands geographic reach and sector capabilities across higher education, healthcare, life sciences, civic projects and energy infrastructure.

Waverly Advisors has acquired certain business lines from Chicago-based Promus Holdings, adding approximately $3.1 billion of AUM and expanding Waverly's private equity, real estate, and multi-family office capabilities. The deal closed November 14, 2025; financial and legal terms were not disclosed, and Waverly formed a new subsidiary, Promus Capital Management, to operate the acquired strategies.

Fortifi Food Processing Solutions has completed its acquisition of Provisur Technologies, a provider of further-processing equipment and aftermarket support for the protein industry. The deal expands Fortifi’s downstream processing and aftermarket capabilities, bringing Provisur’s brands and service network into the PE-backed Fortifi platform (which is backed by KKR).

CFS Brands, the Oklahoma City–based foodservice products manufacturer, has acquired Cornerstone Foodservice Group (CFG), the Naperville, Illinois–headquartered owner of Spring USA, LloydPans, Equipex, Astra and Versa‑Gard. The deal brings CFG’s manufacturing footprint and complementary commercial foodservice equipment brands into CFS Brands’ portfolio to broaden product capabilities and deepen its front- and back-of-house offering.

Opus Water, a water infrastructure platform backed by XPV Water Partners, has acquired Yeary Controls, a Chicago-based maker of control valves, actuators, and flow-control accessories. The add-on deal (closed in November 2025) expands Opus Water's engineered flow-control capabilities across water, wastewater and industrial process-fluid markets.

Loparex, a PE-backed global producer of release liners, has acquired Enterprise Coated Products Inc., a Manteno, Illinois-based manufacturer of silicone-based release liners. The acquisition combines Loparex's scale and market reach with Enterprise's narrow-web, small-batch manufacturing expertise to expand capabilities and better serve customers across tape, healthcare, hygiene, graphics and related end markets.

Guardian Capital Partners, alongside co-investor EA Advisors, completed a majority recapitalization of Raptor Power Systems to support the manufacturer’s next phase of growth. The transaction partners Guardian and EAA with Raptor’s founding family (Peter and Evan El Koury) to expand capacity and serve growing demand from data centers and other mission-critical end markets.

Frontier Growth has made a strategic growth investment in Sprocket Sports, a Chicago-based provider of an all-in-one software and services platform for youth sports club management. The investment will support Sprocket's product innovation and expansion of support for youth sports organizations, and Frontier Growth partner Tim Bechtold will join Sprocket's board.

Superior Environmental Solutions (SES), a Palladium Equity Partners-backed industrial and environmental services platform, has acquired J&S Industrial Services, a Greater St. Louis-area provider of vacuum truck, hydro-excavation, hydroblasting and waste management services. The add-on expands SES's Midwest footprint and operational capacity across Missouri, Illinois and neighboring states to better serve industrial and infrastructure customers.

Merit Financial Advisors has acquired Blueprint Wealth Advisors, adding $1.2 billion in assets and expanding Merit's presence in Illinois and Wisconsin, including entry into the Chicago market. Blueprint’s managing partners Ryan Evans and Nick Wilkins will join Merit as Regional Directors and Partners; FP Transitions served as advisor and financial terms were not disclosed.

The Integration Group (TIG), a portfolio company of Maxwell Street Capital Partners, has acquired North American Warehousing Company (NAWC), a Chicago-area provider of specialized warehousing and hazardous materials handling, blending, and container filling. The add-on expands TIG's Midwest footprint and adds regulated, high-value logistics capabilities that complement prior acquisitions (PDM and Matrix Management).

Owner Resource Group (ORG), an Austin-based private investment firm, has completed a recapitalization investment in Acme Industries, Inc., a specialty manufacturer of complex precision-machined parts and assemblies headquartered in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. Management, led by CEO John Devine, remains meaningful owners and will continue to lead operations while the capital will be used to support organic growth, invest in equipment and capabilities, and pursue strategic acquisitions.

Thoma Bravo has closed an investment in Trading Technologies, joining existing investor 7RIDGE in the company's ownership to support the next phase of platform expansion and product innovation. Terms were not disclosed; advisors to the transaction included Houlihan Lokey and Barclays for Trading Technologies and Ardea Partners and Goodwin Procter for Thoma Bravo.

Milestone Partners has made a majority equity investment in Set Forth, LLC ("FORTH"), the developer of the ForthCRM and ForthPay SaaS platform for specialty finance and consumer debt providers. The FORTH management team and co-founders will remain significant equity holders; a credit facility led by Western Alliance Bank (syndicate including Axos Bank, WSFS Bank and Sunflower Bank) supports the transaction and Milestone will help accelerate product development and market expansion.

Arsenal Capital Partners has completed the acquisition of ThermoSafe from Sonoco Products Company. ThermoSafe, headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois, is a global provider of temperature-assurance packaging and cold-chain solutions for pharmaceuticals, biologics and vaccines; Arsenal intends to accelerate growth and expand ThermoSafe's technology and product portfolio as part of its specialty packaging investments.

Chicago-based private equity firm Wind Point Partners has acquired Buske Lines Inc., a contract warehousing and supply chain services provider serving food, beverage and CPG customers. Wind Point is partnering with Buske management (led by CEO Nick Heinz), which retains a meaningful ownership stake, to invest in technology, infrastructure and organic and M&A-driven growth across the company’s 37 facilities in the U.S. and Canada.

Tenex Capital Management has made a growth investment in Sentinel Technologies, a Chicago-based provider of IT solutions, managed services, and managed security services. The investment closed on November 3, 2025; Sentinel, which employs nearly 700 people, will use the capital to accelerate growth and expand its service capabilities across education, healthcare, government, financial services, and other end markets.

Platinum Equity has completed its acquisition of Anuvu, a provider of in-flight entertainment and high-speed connectivity solutions for aviation, maritime and other mobility markets. The buyout will support Anuvu's growth and investment in next-generation satellite technologies, expanded content distribution and enhanced data-driven passenger management; financial terms were not disclosed.

VONA Case Management, an NMS Capital portfolio company, has acquired Custom Case Management, a Batavia, Illinois-based provider of nurse case management for workers' compensation in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Founder Tracey Bilut will remain as Managing Director of Custom Case Management within VONA as the combined organization expands clinical capabilities and geographic coverage to better serve employers, insurers, and TPAs.

EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants has acquired Price Insurance, a fourth-generation independent insurance agency based in Lake Forest, Illinois. The acquisition expands EPIC's Private Client practice and Midwest presence by adding Price Insurance's team and capabilities serving high-net-worth families and local businesses.

OuterBox, a portfolio company of WILsquare Capital, has acquired Accelerated Digital Media (ADM), a Chicago-based performance marketing agency that specializes in paid search, paid social, and analytics for healthcare and e-commerce clients. The add-on strengthens OuterBox's paid media, programmatic and analytics capabilities and expands its presence in the healthcare and enterprise e-commerce end markets. Terms were not disclosed.

VisuSewer, a Fort Point Capital portfolio company, has acquired Sheridan Plumbing & Sewer and Accurate Locating Services, both based in Bedford Park, Illinois. The add-on bolsters VisuSewer's presence in the Greater Chicago region and expands its wastewater infrastructure, pipe cleaning/inspection, and utility locating capabilities.

FV Recycling, a Jones Capital portfolio company, has acquired Mid America Paper Recycling, a Chicago-based broker, processor, and exporter of recovered materials. The add-on expands FV Recycling's geographic footprint into the Midwest and enhances its processing, logistics, and equipment service capabilities to serve customers nationwide.