Acquisitions in Georgia in 2020

SSOE Group acquired Atlanta-based architecture and design firm Stevens & Wilkinson along with its sister interior design studio IDEA | SPAN, expanding SSOE’s Southeast U.S. presence and design capabilities. The deal, finalized December 31, 2020, adds nearly 100 employees to SSOE and broadens its offerings across healthcare, education, judicial, and other commercial building markets.

K2 Partnering Solutions has acquired The Crevalle Group, a Salesforce partner based in Atlanta, Georgia. The acquisition (completed December 31, 2020) expands K2's footprint and capabilities within the Salesforce ecosystem across North America by adding Crevalle's staff augmentation, managed services and staffing capabilities.

Merit Financial Group, a hybrid RIA based in Alpharetta, Georgia, received a strategic growth investment from Wealth Partners Capital Group (WPCG) and a group of supporting investors led by private equity firm HGGC. The capital and partnership will support Merit's organic growth and accelerate its M&A strategy to expand its national footprint and advisor partnerships; Merit's management entered into long-term employment agreements and the deal closed December 31, 2020.

Golden Gate Capital has recapitalized Tidal Wave Auto Spa, partnering with founder and CEO Scott Blackstock, who will remain CEO and a significant shareholder. The transaction will provide development resources to support aggressive new-unit expansion, acquisitions and continued growth of the company's Unlimited Wash Club membership program; terms were not disclosed.

AssuredPartners, Inc. has acquired Dawson, Taylor & Company, an Augusta, Georgia-based insurance agency. The 10-person team will remain led by Agency President Michael Taylor as AssuredPartners expands its presence in the Augusta market.

Yardi acquired CommissionTrac, an Atlanta-based revenue-management SaaS for commercial real estate brokerages, and will integrate the platform into its CommercialEdge suite. The CommissionTrac team will continue to support existing clients while contributing its commission, pipeline and invoicing capabilities to Yardi's commercial product offerings.

AEA Investors' Small Business Fund (AEA SBF) has completed the acquisition of 50 Floor, Inc., a direct-to-consumer, shop-at-home flooring company serving the residential repair and remodel market. AEA SBF plans to back the company's growth and transformation across its existing markets and expand its direct-to-consumer flooring platform.

Kelso Fund X (Kelso & Company) completed a majority investment in Inmark, a global distributor and designer of rigid container and life sciences packaging, on December 23, 2020. Inmark management and employees retained significant ownership and the investment is positioned to support the company's packaging and regulatory-compliance training capabilities across North America, Europe and Asia.

Innovatus Capital Partners formed Certor Sports and, through its subsidiaries, acquired substantially all of Kranos Corporation's assets, intellectual property and brands — including Schutt, ProGear, Tucci Bats, Hollywood Bases and Adams USA. The deal consolidates multiple sporting-goods brands under Certor Sports (which had earlier acquired VICIS assets), preserving warranties and service relationships while positioning the platform for product and market expansion.

Personify, a Pamlico Capital‑backed provider of association and nonprofit technology solutions, has acquired MemberClicks, a member management platform serving more than 3,000 client organizations. The acquisition expands Personify’s purpose-built platform coverage for associations, chambers and member-based organizations and will integrate MemberClicks’ team and products into Personify’s combined sales and marketing organization.

Imperial Dade has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Paper Chemical Supply Company, a family-owned janitorial supplies distributor based in Savannah, Georgia. The deal expands Imperial Dade's Southeast footprint (adding Savannah and Charleston locations) and strengthens its national distribution platform; financial terms were not disclosed.

Private equity firm Corsair Capital made a strategic growth investment to combine Founders Insurance, Hutchinson Traylor Insurance, McGinty‑Gordon & Associates, and Waites & Foshee into Oakbridge Insurance Agency LLC. The combination creates a regional insurance brokerage platform serving Georgia and the Southeast with approximately 175 employees across 15 offices and will pursue organic growth and strategic acquisitions.

Valsoft Corporation, a Montreal-based acquirer of vertical market software businesses, has acquired WiSys, a Marietta, Georgia–headquartered provider of warehouse management solutions. WiSys CEO Michael Hollinger will remain in place as the company is integrated into Valsoft’s portfolio as part of Valsoft’s entry into the warehouse management vertical.

United Gaming LLC, the largest operator of coin-operated amusement machines (COAMs) in Georgia, acquired the assets and team of Elite Amusement, Inc. The transaction was announced alongside a new $250 million senior secured multi-draw credit facility to support United Gaming's consolidation and expansion plans.

Virginia Beach-based Groundworks, a Cortec Group-backed foundation services platform, acquired Atlanta-headquartered AquaGuard Foundation Solutions on December 10, 2020. The add-on strengthens Groundworks' presence in the Southeast and expands its residential waterproofing and foundation repair capabilities; terms were not disclosed.

SteelSeries has acquired KontrolFreek, a leading maker of high-performance controller accessories, to strengthen its position in the console gaming market and expand its controller and accessory product offering. KontrolFreek will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary, bringing its product lines and community of more than four million gamers to SteelSeries' global distribution and R&D capabilities.

Post Holdings agreed to acquire Almark Foods, a leading producer of hard‑cooked and deviled egg products, and will combine Almark with its Michael Foods egg business. The transaction (terms undisclosed) was expected to close in early 2021 and expands Post's refrigerated and foodservice capabilities, adding Almark's Yuma, Arizona hard‑cooked egg facility and other operations.

NTT DATA Services has agreed to acquire Hashmap, a data engineering and analytics consultancy headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, to strengthen its cloud data, analytics and AI capabilities. Hashmap— a Snowflake Premier Partner with Databricks and other cloud partnerships—will expand NTT DATA Services' ability to help clients accelerate cloud data modernization and operationalize AI.

J.F. Lehman & Company, through an investment affiliate, has acquired CodeMettle, LLC in partnership with the company's founders and management. CodeMettle, headquartered in Atlanta, provides proprietary and custom software for management of critical communication networks used by defense, government and commercial customers; JFLCO said the acquisition will accelerate CodeMettle's growth in defense and government markets.

Bounteous, a Chicago-based digital transformation agency backed by Mountaingate Capital, has acquired Atlanta-based commerce and customer experience agency FortyFour. The acquisition strengthens Bounteous's Magento and commerce capabilities and brings FortyFour's enterprise clients (including Coca‑Cola, Fiserv and Boehringer Ingelheim) and team into the Bounteous organization.

PeakEquity Partners led a minority growth investment in Grayshift, an Atlanta-area provider of mobile device digital forensics best known for its GrayKey solution. The capital will be used to accelerate sales and marketing, expand R&D and engineering, broaden product offerings, and increase global awareness; Tom Noonan (Chairman of TEN Holdings and founding partner at TechOperators) will work with Grayshift’s management at the board level.

Fire Safety & Protection, a portfolio company of Sunny River Management, has acquired All-Star Fire, LLC, a tenured fire and life safety services provider in the greater Atlanta market. The deal is an add-on to FSP's platform as it expands its Southeastern U.S. footprint and capabilities while All-Star's president, Kevin Biando, will remain to manage local operations.

Installed Building Products, Inc. (NYSE: IBP) has acquired Custom Glass & Doors, Inc. (CGD), a Norcross, Georgia-based installer of glass, shower, shelving and mirror services. CGD (founded 1986) generates approximately $7.1 million of annual revenue and the deal expands IBP's complementary installation capabilities in the greater Atlanta market.

Sysnet Global Solutions has acquired the Managed Compliance Solutions (MCS) division of ControlScan, Inc., expanding its payment security and compliance offerings for SMBs. The deal—completed as an add-on to Sysnet's PE-backed platform—boosts Sysnet's scale in PCI compliance and managed security services across merchant and payments ecosystems; terms were not disclosed.

Payroc WorldAccess, LLC acquired Bluestone Payments, LLC, an independent sales organization (ISO) founded by Linda Rossetti, to grow its sales organization and expand merchant referral relationships. Payroc — a merchant acquirer backed by private equity firm Parthenon Capital — will retain Rossetti as President of Bluestone and expand her role as EVP, Strategic Partnerships at Payroc.

Investment funds managed by the Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division will acquire a significant stake in Zaxby's Operating Company L.P., providing long-term capital to support accelerated growth and expansion into new sales channels. The partnership will help Zaxby's scale nationally from its base of more than 900 restaurants (17 states), and the deal was expected to close by year-end 2020.

The Home Depot agreed to acquire HD Supply Holdings, Inc. in a cash tender offer valuing the business at approximately $8 billion, with the deal expected to close in late 2020. The acquisition expands The Home Depot's capabilities and distribution footprint in the maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) market—particularly in multifamily and hospitality end markets—and is expected to be accretive to earnings.

Medicus IT, a healthcare-focused managed services provider based in Alpharetta, Georgia, has acquired Clear Choice Telephones, a unified communications and contact center solutions provider headquartered in Roswell, Georgia. The acquisition expands Medicus IT’s communications and contact-center capabilities to better serve healthcare and other business clients while maintaining continuity of the existing teams.

Oracle Elevator, an L Squared Capital Partners portfolio company, has acquired Atlanta-based Premier Elevator to expand its geographic footprint and technical capabilities across the Southeast. The deal adds Premier’s presence in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee and relocates Oracle’s Technical Training Center (OTEC) to Atlanta to leverage Premier’s resources; several Premier leaders joined Oracle’s senior management and remain material owners.

Aphria, Inc. agreed to acquire SweetWater Brewing Company in a transaction valued at approximately $300 million, marking Aphria’s strategic entry into the United States. The deal results in TSG Consumer Partners exiting its minority stake; SweetWater will continue operating from its Atlanta, Georgia brewery with broad distribution across the U.S.

Kobiton has acquired Mobile Labs to combine Kobiton's AI-driven mobile testing platform with Mobile Labs' on‑premises device cloud (GigaFox), enabling hybrid cloud and on‑prem deployments. The deal was funded by BIP Capital and Fulcrum Equity Partners, with support from Kobiton's seed investors, to accelerate Kobiton's product capabilities and market reach.

Kellermeyer Bergensons Services (KBS) has acquired Beck Facility Services, a Newnan, Georgia–based provider of janitorial, light-maintenance, and material-handling services. The acquisition expands KBS’s national footprint and service capabilities, bringing Beck’s team of roughly 1,800 employees across 12 states into KBS’s platform to deliver scaled, technology-enabled facility solutions.

REPAY Holdings Corporation agreed to acquire Atlanta-based CPS Payment Services for up to $93 million, with $78 million paid at closing and up to $15 million in earnouts. The acquisition expands REPAY's B2B payments and accounts-payable automation capabilities and brings CPS's enterprise client base and ERP-integrated AP automation technology into REPAY's product suite.

Vision Integrated Graphics Group, a portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital, has acquired DX Marketing, a data-driven marketing and analytics agency. The add-on strengthens Vision's omnichannel customer acquisition and engagement offerings by integrating DXM's team, marketing technology, and one-to-one targeting capabilities.

H.I.G. Capital agreed to acquire a majority stake in Capstone Logistics, a Peachtree Corners, Georgia–based third‑party logistics provider, from an affiliate of The Jordan Company. Capstone’s management, led by CEO Steve Taylor, will remain shareholders and TJC will retain a minority stake and reinvest; the deal is positioned to accelerate Capstone’s organic growth and acquisition strategy.

Accel-KKR completed a majority equity investment in Surgical Information Systems (SIS) on October 15, 2020, in a recapitalization that sees Norwest Equity Partners retain a minority ownership stake and invest alongside Accel-KKR. The transaction will support SIS’s growth and accelerate adoption of its cloud-based EMR and perioperative SaaS offerings for ambulatory surgery centers and hospitals; financial terms were not disclosed.

SightPlan, a multifamily service management software provider, has acquired InfoTycoon, a digital due diligence and inspections specialist for multifamily real estate. The acquisition will integrate InfoTycoon's due diligence and inspection capabilities into SightPlan's service platform to expand lifecycle and transaction support for multifamily owners and operators.

nexAir acquired the business operations and customer accounts of Atlanta Medical Gases, LLC, a medical gas supplier in the Atlanta, Georgia area, with the transaction effective October 16, 2020. The acquisition expands nexAir's medical gas presence and customer base in the greater Atlanta market; nexAir will service the acquired customers from its existing Atlanta-area locations.

Next Glass, the owner of Untappd and BeerAdvocate, has acquired Oznr (formerly CraftCellr), an Atlanta-based direct-to-consumer technology provider for craft beverage producers. The acquisition will integrate Oznr's pre-order, membership and release-management capabilities into Next Glass's platforms and support investment in the Oznr team and product expansion.

NFP has acquired Insurance Specialty Group, LLC (ISG), a managing general agent focused on construction and residential builder insurance, in a deal that closed October 9, 2020. The acquisition expands NFP's property & casualty capabilities and P&C footprint in the Southeast while integrating ISG's construction-focused programs and distribution relationships.

Pye-Barker Fire & Safety has acquired Mitec, an Atlanta-based fire and property protection company founded in 1989. The acquisition (Mitec had about 140 employees) expands Pye-Barker's presence across the Southeast and into new markets while adding Mitec's inspection, testing and systems-integration capabilities.

Onex Corporation (the Onex Group) agreed to acquire a majority ownership stake in OneDigital from New Mountain Capital, with the transaction valuing OneDigital at $2.65 billion and including an approximate $960 million equity investment by Onex. OneDigital, a leading U.S. employee benefits brokerage and retirement/wealth advisory firm headquartered in Atlanta with more than 2,000 employees, will have Onex and employees owning roughly 83% upon closing; New Mountain will sell down its position. The deal is expected to close in late 2020 pending customary approvals, including HSR clearance.

Applied Industrial Technologies has acquired Advanced Control Solutions (ACS), a Southeast-based provider of machine vision, robotics, sensors, and automation engineering services. The deal adds ACS's 43-person team and four Southeastern locations to Applied's automation offerings to expand capabilities, cross-sell solutions, and deepen presence in life sciences, packaging & logistics, industrial manufacturing, and automotive end markets.

Altus Power America, Inc. acquired a 4-megawatt operating solar portfolio in Georgia consisting of four single-axis tracker projects and one fixed-tilt project from Beltline Energy, LLC. The projects sell power to Georgia Power and generate roughly 6.5 million kWh annually; the acquisition expands Altus Power's C&I-scale distributed generation portfolio and strengthens its presence in the Southeast.

Neighborly, the world's largest franchisor of home service brands, acquired ShelfGenie, a custom glide-out shelving solutions franchise headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The deal brings ShelfGenie's franchise system and installation capabilities into Neighborly's portfolio to expand its in-home service offerings and drive growth across the Neighborly network.

Certain credit investment funds managed by New Mountain Capital acquired substantially all assets and operations of LT Smile Corporation (Benevis) in a Section 363 sale out of Chapter 11. The deal, completed with support from the company's DIP lenders, places Benevis under New Benevis Holdco, Inc. and provides an improved balance sheet and growth capital to continue supporting non-clinical practice services for dental practices.

Motus, a Boston-based provider of mobile workforce reimbursement and management solutions, has acquired Augusta, Georgia–based Vision Wireless, a telecom expense management (TEM) and managed mobility services (MMS) provider. The acquisition expands Motus's mobile device and remote work offerings by adding Vision Wireless's TEM/MMS capabilities and customer relationships with large enterprise clients.

Protective Life Corporation (Protective) announced it has agreed to acquire the Revolos family of companies to add complementary finance & insurance (F&I) products and distribution to its Asset Protection Division. The deal, which expands Protective's vehicle protection, GAP and ancillary product portfolio and dealer distribution channels, is expected to close in Q1 2021 subject to regulatory approvals and customary conditions.

Cartegraph, a provider of enterprise asset and work management SaaS for infrastructure owners, has acquired SEMS Technologies, a specialist in water and wastewater utility operations and regulatory compliance software. The acquisition brings SEMS’s asset management, mobile work orders and compliance capabilities into Cartegraph’s platform to create a more comprehensive solution for water and wastewater utilities and public works agencies.

Accenture has acquired N3, an Atlanta-based tech-enabled B2B sales and demand-generation firm, from RedBird Capital Partners. The acquisition brings N3's AI/ML-powered sales capabilities and roughly 2,200 employees into Accenture Operations to enhance Accenture's SynOps platform and deepen client sales interactions.