Acquisitions in Alabama in 2022

Unosquare, a global digital engineering firm, has acquired Airship, a Birmingham-based custom software and mobile app development firm, to expand its onshore delivery capabilities and vertical specialization. The deal bolsters Unosquare’s U.S. delivery footprint as it continues scaling its nearshore and onshore engineering services.

The Stephens Group, a Little Rock-based private investment firm, acquired Quality Valve, Inc., a Mobile, Alabama-based distributor of OEM valve replacement and repair parts, from Pfingsten. The transaction closed on December 6, 2022 for undisclosed terms; Audax Private Debt provided debt financing and Lincoln International served as debt advisor.

Blue Compass RV (formerly RV Retailer, LLC) has acquired B&R Camper Sales, a full-service RV dealership in Mobile, Alabama. The deal expands Blue Compass RV’s retail, parts and service footprint in the Southeast as part of its ongoing roll-up of regional dealerships.

Cloud 9 Software acquired Alabama-based practice management platform Focus Ortho on November 18, 2022. The deal expands Cloud 9's customer footprint in the orthodontic/dental practice management market and will integrate Focus Ortho's team and customers into Cloud 9's cloud-based platform.

Camping World Holdings, Inc. has acquired Ashley Outdoors, a family-owned RV dealership in Salem, Alabama. The location will operate under the Camping World brand and expands the company's retail and service footprint in Alabama as part of a broader plan to add multiple dealership locations in Q1 2024.

Pivotal, a tech-enabled advisory, accounting, and tax firm, has acquired Byerly & Associates and will combine the teams in Auburn, Alabama. The deal brings Richard Byerly and his Auburn-based professional team into Pivotal, expanding the combined firm's professional practice services and presence in the chiropractic vertical.

EVI Industries, Inc. completed the acquisition of Southside, Alabama-based Wholesale Commercial Laundry Equipment, SE, LLC (WCL). The deal adds distribution, installation and maintenance capabilities for commercial and vended laundry equipment across the U.S. Southeast and is part of EVI's ongoing buy-and-build strategy in the commercial laundry distribution and service industry.

Lee Equity Partners acquired a majority ownership interest in Bradford Health Services, a Birmingham, Alabama-based provider of substance use disorder treatment, from Centre Partners and other existing investors; Centre Partners will retain a minority stake. The deal (terms undisclosed) was financed by Fifth Third and Comvest Credit Partners and positions Bradford to scale its 40-facility behavioral health platform across the Southeast under existing management.

Imperial Dade, a leading North American distributor of foodservice packaging and janitorial supplies, has acquired Mobile Janitorial & Paper, a family-owned janitorial and foodservice-disposables distributor based in Mobile, Alabama. Financial terms were not disclosed; the deal expands Imperial Dade's footprint and product/service offerings in Alabama while retaining Mobile Janitorial & Paper's local team and leadership.

Agape Care Group, a Ridgemont Equity Partners–backed hospice and palliative care platform, has acquired Journey Hospice, a family‑owned provider based in Birmingham, Alabama. The add‑on expands Agape Care's geographic footprint into Alabama and Louisiana and brings Journey Hospice into the Agape family while continuing to operate under its current name; terms were not disclosed.

Imperial Dade has acquired Dees Paper Company, a Mobile, Alabama-based distributor of janitorial sanitation and foodservice packaging products. The transaction — Imperial Dade's 54th acquisition — was announced with financial terms undisclosed; Dees will continue under its existing leadership in partnership with Imperial Dade to expand scale in the Southeast.

Ingevity Corporation completed the previously announced all-cash acquisition of privately-owned Ozark Materials (including Ozark Logistics) for $325 million. The acquisition brings a leading producer of pavement marking materials and related logistics into Ingevity's Performance Chemicals segment and strengthens its position in the paving construction end market across the United States and Canada.

Meriplex, a Houston-based managed technology and cybersecurity provider, has acquired F1 Solutions, a veteran-owned managed service provider based in Huntsville, Alabama. The acquisition expands Meriplex’s cybersecurity and government compliance capabilities (including CMMC expertise) and extends its presence in North Alabama.

Littlejohn & Co. has made a significant growth investment in The Hiller Companies, a Mobile, Alabama–based provider of fire and life safety services; Pon Holdings remains a large investor. Terms were not disclosed. Littlejohn said it will support Hiller’s platform expansion and pursue organic and inorganic growth initiatives, with Baird serving as Hiller’s financial advisor.

Carlock Automotive Group, led by Clay Carlock, acquired Gulf Coast Auto Group — a portfolio of four luxury dealerships (Porsche, Audi, Volkswagen and Volvo) in Mobile, Alabama — from owner Roger Tovar. The transaction was facilitated by Performance Brokerage Services and the dealerships will remain at their current locations and be rebranded under the Carlock name.

Linsalata Capital Partners completed a recapitalization of Wellborn Forest Products, Inc., a U.S. semi‑custom kitchen and bath cabinetry manufacturer. BDO Capital Advisors served as exclusive financial advisor to Wellborn on the transaction, which provides new capital and a partner to support the company’s continued growth and distribution expansion.

Southeast Building Supply Interests (SBSI), a platform company sponsored by Building Industry Partners (BIP), has acquired Buettner Brothers Lumber Company, expanding SBSI's footprint into Alabama and growing the platform to 11 LBM locations across the Southeast. The acquisition adds truss manufacturing capability and transitions Buettner employees into SBSI's employee equity ownership program.

iCEV has acquired the K-12 and post-secondary digital curriculum assets of Today's Class, adding Automotive and Cosmetology courses to its Career & Technical Education (CTE) platform. The deal is an add-on to iCEV’s platform following a strategic investment from The Riverside Company, which backs iCEV to expand its digital curriculum and certification offerings.

ENTRUST Solutions Group, backed by Kohlberg & Company, has acquired FiberRise Communications, a Huntsville, Alabama–based provider of utility broadband consulting, engineering and fiber network build/operate services. The acquisition expands ENTRUST's utility broadband and grid modernization capabilities and footprint, enabling support for electric cooperatives, municipalities and investor-owned utilities.

Nashville-based home services roll-up Leap Partners has acquired Drain Werks, a plumbing and drain specialist serving central and northern Alabama. The founders Marcus and Duston Williams will continue to lead the business as part of Leap Partners' growing platform of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical service companies in the Southeast.

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.

Compusoft + 2020, a global provider of software and content solutions for the spaces-for-living industry, has acquired Resource and Financial Management Systems, Inc. (RFMS), a 35+-year provider of ERP, CRM, estimating and payments software for the flooring market. The deal expands Compusoft + 2020's offerings into the North American flooring market and aims to combine product, R&D and go-to-market capabilities while RFMS's leadership team will remain in place.

Mammoth Holdings LLC acquired three operating express conveyor car wash locations in Alabama operating as The Wash from co-owners Eric Smith and Bobby Halbrooks. The acquisition expands Mammoth's presence in the Montgomery/Prattville market and adds to its multi-brand platform, which is PE-backed by Red Dog Equity and operates over 100 locations.

RJ Young, a Nashville-based business technology solutions provider, has acquired Alabama-based Syndesi Solutions to expand its managed IT services footprint across the Southeast. Syndesi's employees will join RJ Young's 650+ team while maintaining local operations and offices; the deal strengthens RJ Young's network security, cloud, and IT infrastructure capabilities in the region.

Eurofins Discovery has acquired DiscoveryBioMed, a Birmingham, Alabama–based contract research organization specializing in human primary- and immortalized-cell based bioassays. The acquisition strengthens Eurofins Discovery’s translational biology and human cell assay capabilities to expand its drug discovery services portfolio.

VR Insurance Holdings, a newly formed holding company led by Vivek Ranadivé, BTIG and a group of family offices and strategic investors, completed the acquisition of The National Security Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NSEC). Under the merger each share of NSG common stock was converted into the right to receive $16.35 in cash and NSG will be taken private and operated as a subsidiary of VR Holdings to pursue growth in insurance and financial services.

WP Global Partners invested in Landing on June 23, 2022. Landing is an online marketplace offering fully furnished multi-family homes for rent; the investment is intended as growth capital to scale Landing's flexible-living network and expand its membership-based rental offerings.

SiteOne Landscape Supply completed the acquisition of Across the Pond, Inc., a wholesale distributor of hardscapes and bulk landscape materials with one location in Huntsville, Alabama. The deal expands SiteOne's product offering and presence in the Huntsville market and is the company's fourth acquisition in 2022.

Frontline Road Safety, a platform company sponsored by The Sterling Group, has acquired the pavement marking contracting operations of Ozark Striping Company, LLC, expanding Frontline's footprint in the U.S. Southeast. The deal is the eighth add-on for the Frontline platform since its July 2020 formation as Sterling continues to build a national road-safety and infrastructure maintenance platform.

Nashville-based HomeFirst Home Healthcare, a PE-backed home health operator, acquired Centreville, Alabama-based CV Home Health effective June 1, 2022. The deal was supported by a follow-on investment from growth equity firm Fulcrum Equity Partners with continued backing from Harpeth Ventures; HomeFirst said it sought CV Home Health's proprietary software and local footprint to drive efficiency under rising Medicare Advantage penetration.

Boston-based private equity firm WestView Capital Partners has made a growth investment in Summit 7 Systems, a Huntsville, Alabama-headquartered cybersecurity and compliance provider for the Defense Industrial Base. The capital will support Summit 7's expansion of Microsoft Government Cloud solutions and broader cybersecurity and compliance offerings while the existing management team remains in place.

Leap Partners Holdings LLC, a Nashville-based home-services consolidation platform and portfolio company of Concentric Equity Partners, acquired George Plumbing, LLC, a residential and commercial plumbing business in Hartselle, Alabama. The owner, Greg George, sold the business and will remain in a leadership role as Leap Partners continues its roll-up strategy in the Southeast.

U.S. Orthopaedic Partners (USOP) has acquired SportsMED Orthopedic Surgery & Spine Center of Huntsville, Alabama, marking the platform's eighth affiliation and expanding USOP's footprint in the Southeast. SportsMED operates four locations with 23 specialty orthopaedic and spine physicians and ancillary services (imaging, physical and occupational therapy); the deal strengthens USOP's scale in Alabama and adds clinical and geographic capacity to its integrated musculoskeletal platform.

Imperial Dade has acquired North Alabama Chemical, a Decatur, Alabama-based full-service provider of janitorial supplies and services. The deal, Imperial Dade's 50th acquisition under Robert and Jason Tillis, expands the platform's presence in northern Alabama; financial terms were not disclosed.

Southern HVAC Corporation acquired AirNow Cooling & Heating of Montgomery, Alabama, adding the local HVAC and electrical services provider to its family of home-services brands. The deal is Southern HVAC's first acquisition in Alabama and is intended to expand the company's geographic footprint while providing AirNow with access to training, sales, marketing and operational resources.

Tamarix Equity Partners and Chartwell Investments (Chief Capital), together with industry executive NJ Wazaney, formed Blue Ocean Aesthetics Holdings (BOAxH) and led a recapitalization of Rohrer Aesthetics, a Homewood, Alabama manufacturer of non-invasive, energy-based aesthetic devices. The investment provides growth capital and establishes BOAxH as a platform to expand products and services in the medical aesthetics market; financing for the transaction was provided by Source Capital.

Higginbotham, a national insurance, financial and HR services firm, has acquired Lyon Fry Cadden Insurance, a long-established independent property and casualty broker based in Mobile, Alabama. The deal brings Higginbotham into Alabama, expands its service capabilities (including employee benefits and HR services), and names Lyon Fry Cadden president Gaylord Lyon Jr. a managing director while retaining the agency's ~30-person team.

WA Asset Management (WAAM), a Birmingham-based registered investment adviser, has acquired Clark Financial Advisors, a fee-only investment management and financial planning firm based in Birmingham, Alabama. The deal closed March 31, 2022, will add approximately $270 million of assets under management to WAAM, and brings the entire CFA team into WAAM; WAAM previously received a strategic growth investment from Wealth Partners Capital Group and HGGC in December 2021.

Featheringill Capital has acquired Divorce.com, an online divorce platform that offers tools and services to simplify the divorce process across the United States and Canada. Featheringill will provide financial backing and strategic support to scale Divorce.com's offerings and expand its reach.

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.

One Equity Partners has completed an investment in Montgomery Transport, a Birmingham, Alabama–based over-the-road flatbed carrier specializing in over-dimensional and heavy-haul freight. OEP said it intends to support Montgomery Transport’s growth and use the company as a platform for consolidation in the flatbed trucking sector; financial terms were not disclosed.

TZP Group led a majority recapitalization of America's Thrift Stores, partnering with Nuveen Global Impact Fund and the company's existing management team to support growth. The investment will fund expansion of retail and e-commerce operations, growth of the donation network, and further the company's role in the circular economy.

Drum Capital Management completed the acquisition of Excel Interior Door, LLC on January 20, 2022, with New York-based Trident joining as an equity investor. Excel Door, a Hartselle, Alabama-based manufacturer of interior wooden doors with roughly 70+ employees, will continue to operate under Drum’s ownership to support growth in the home building products sector.

U.S. Orthopaedic Partners (USOP) announced a partnership agreement to acquire Southern Orthopaedic Surgeons LLC, a four-facility orthopaedic practice in Montgomery, Alabama. The deal is an add-on to USOP's regional orthopedic care platform and expands its footprint and service offerings in the Southeastern United States.

Versa Integrity Group, a Dorilton Capital-backed industrial inspection services platform, has acquired the commercial Unmanned Aircraft Systems operations ("Avion Commercial") of Avion Solutions. Avion Commercial — based in Huntsville, Alabama — provides drone imagery, inspection, data collection, and training services; Avion Solutions will retain its government services business. The deal expands Versa's non-destructive testing and inspection capabilities by adding unmanned aerial inspection services.

The Spot On Agency has acquired Smart Traffic Consulting, a boutique SEO/SEM consultancy founded by Brian Cauble, to strengthen Spot On's digital strategy and healthcare marketing services. The acquisition formalizes a multi-year project partnership and adds search advertising, site optimization and paid-search expertise to Spot On's offering.

Oscar W. Larson Company, a portfolio company of Trive Capital and strategic partner SideKick Operators, has acquired Capitol Business Equipment, Inc. (CBE), a national provider of in-store technology deployments, managed services and repair for point-of-sale, surveillance, network and other retail systems. The add-on strengthens Oscar Larson's service capabilities and national footprint to better serve mid-size to large retail, convenience and QSR operators.

Auxo Investment Partners acquired Ferrovia Services and merged it with its existing platform Genesis Rail Services to form "Auxo Rail." Graycliff Partners provided subordinated debt and a minority equity investment to support the transaction, which aims to integrate vegetation-management and rail maintenance services to enable cross-selling to Class I, Class II and industrial railroad customers as well as state DOTs and utilities.

Quest Diagnostics has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Pack Health in an all-cash transaction. The acquisition brings Pack Health's patient-engagement platform and certified health coaches into Quest's Extended Care services to strengthen value-based care and connect diagnostic insights to action.

Patten Seed Company (doing business as Super-Sod), a Heartwood Partners–backed platform, completed an add-on acquisition of Frog Pond Turf in Opelika, Alabama in December 2021. The acquisition expands Super-Sod's sod-growing footprint into Alabama (Auburn, Montgomery and Birmingham markets), preserves local management (Brad Baker remains farm manager), and increases supply of Bermudagrass and Zoysiagrass while enabling Super-Sod to introduce products and services such as Soil³ compost and the Lawn Coach subscription in the region.