Acquisitions in Iowa

Nicolet Bankshares, Inc. completed its merger with MidWestOne Financial Group, Inc., with MidWestOne merged into Nicolet and operating as a division of Nicolet National Bank until a planned system conversion in August 2026. The deal adds roughly $6 billion in assets, bringing Nicolet's pro forma assets to approximately $15 billion and expands Nicolet’s branch footprint across Iowa, the Twin Cities, Western Wisconsin, and Denver.

Inovar Packaging Group, a Dallas-based label and packaging provider, acquired Kiliper Corporation, a family-owned flexible packaging business, to expand its stretch sleeve, roll‑fed label, and printed film capabilities and strengthen its Midwest footprint. Kiliper’s co-owners Tom Kiliper and Lindsay Maysent will remain as co‑presidents following the transaction.

Charcuterie Artisans has acquired La Quercia Cured Meats, including its Norwalk, Iowa production facility and full product portfolio. The PE-backed charcuterie platform (owner: Industrial Opportunity Partners) said it will invest in the brand, expand the plant’s prosciutto capacity by ~50%, and retain La Quercia employees while working with the Lynch family and suppliers to maintain U.S. pork supply.

J.F. Lehman & Company, via an affiliate of JFL Equity Investor VI, L.P., acquired a majority interest in Wellman Dynamics, a Creston, Iowa-based manufacturer of large-scale magnesium and aluminum sand castings. TRM Equity sold the majority stake and will retain a meaningful minority position; the deal is positioned as a platform investment to expand Wellman's manufacturing capacity and pursue new aerospace and defense programs.

Novae, a leading North American trailer manufacturer, has acquired Aluma Trailers to expand its aluminum trailer product offering and strengthen its dealer-distributed platform. Aluma will remain headquartered in Bancroft, Iowa and led by CEO Mike Lloyd and the existing management team; financial terms were not disclosed.

CapStone Holdings has acquired Structurely, an AI-powered sales engagement platform that automates early-stage revenue conversations for real estate and mortgage organizations. The acquisition positions Structurely for accelerated product development, deeper partnerships, and scaled operations under CapStone’s ownership while leveraging Structurely’s large conversational dataset and AI capabilities.

Los Angeles-based private equity firm Fusion Capital Partners has acquired Excel Engineering, a Diagonal, Iowa-based testing and certification firm that provides engine, powertrain, battery and emissions testing services to OEM and industrial customers. The transaction (terms undisclosed) is positioned as a growth-oriented, capability-expanding platform investment to scale Excel's testing capacity, capabilities and talent; Monroe Capital acted as a joint lead arranger on the senior credit facility supporting the deal.

Lewis & Ellis, Inc. announced that Griffith, Ballard & Company has joined Lewis & Ellis effective January 1, 2026. The combination expands Lewis & Ellis’s life actuarial capabilities and scale while allowing Griffith Ballard to continue operating from Cedar Rapids under its existing leadership and to contribute its Lifebase technology and actuarial expertise to the broader platform.

Baldwin Supply Company, a privately owned Midwest industrial distributor headquartered in Plymouth, Minnesota, has acquired Construction & Aggregate Products, Inc. (CAP), a distributor with locations in Des Moines, Iowa and Lenexa, Kansas. The acquisition expands Baldwin Supply's regional footprint and capabilities to better serve customers in aggregate, mining and construction markets.

Amca, an El Segundo, California-based aerospace and defense company, has acquired Aerospace Control Products, Inc. (ACPI) of Davenport, Iowa to expand its hydraulics-focused components platform by adding aerospace-grade pressure and liquid-level switch capabilities. Amca plans significant investment to expand ACPI’s manufacturing capacity and improve supply availability; Shedd Capital advised on the transaction and Aaron Ellis, ACPI’s president and former owner, will remain involved.

Solve Industrial Motion Group has acquired D&D Global, a vertically integrated U.S. manufacturer of power drive belts headquartered in Rock Valley, Iowa. The deal expands Solve's manufacturing capabilities and product offering in power transmission (V-belts and timing belts), adding D&D's four locations and more than 35,000 belt configurations to Solve's platform.

Federal Signal Corporation completed the acquisition of Scranton Manufacturing Company LLC, doing business as New Way Trucks, adding a leading U.S. refuse-collection vehicle manufacturer to its Environmental Solutions Group. Federal Signal said New Way brings over $100 million backlog and more than 750 employees, and the company expects to leverage its specialty vehicle platform and aftermarket opportunities to drive growth and margin improvement.

Scorability, a college-recruiting technology company headquartered in Austin, Texas, has acquired Ryzer, the Des Moines-based event registration and management platform for college and youth sports. The deal combines Scorability’s data-driven recruiting and analytics tools with Ryzer’s large events ecosystem to create an integrated platform serving thousands of programs and over a million athletes annually.

Thirty31 Partners, a Huxley, Iowa-based private equity firm, has acquired Jerry Carney & Sons, Inc., a family-owned auto parts and vehicle recycling business headquartered in Ames, Iowa. The company will continue operating under its existing brand and management while Thirty31 provides capital and operational support to drive growth in the automotive aftermarket and recycling sectors; 1st National Bank of Ames supported the transaction.

Performance Brokerage Services announced the sale of McGrath Dubuque Harley-Davidson in Dubuque, Iowa from Mike and Pat McGrath to lifelong riders and dealership owners John Jennerjohn and Brody Meier (owners/operators of Iron Hill Harley-Davidson). The dealership will be renamed Key City Harley-Davidson and remain at its current 145 North Crescent Ridge location, expanding the buyers' regional presence.

Plunkett's Pest Control, Inc. has acquired Insect Control Specialists (ICS), a family-owned pest control business based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The acquisition strengthens Plunkett's regional presence in Iowa while preserving ICS's legacy and customer relationships following owner Leslie Parker's decision to sell.

Patrick Lanigan, a Pet Butler franchise owner in Des Moines, Iowa, has acquired Bark 'N' Bin, a local pet waste removal business. The acquisition expands Pet Butler's presence in Iowa and brings Bark 'N' Bin customers under the national Pet Butler franchise system.

ALKEME Insurance, a Top 25 U.S. insurance brokerage based in Ladera Ranch, California, has acquired Sheets Forrest Draper Insurance, a fourth-generation independent agency headquartered in Marion, Iowa. The deal expands ALKEME's Midwest footprint and brings SFD Insurance access to ALKEME's resources while preserving the agency's local focus and client relationships.

Premier Tech Water and Environment (a business unit of Premier Tech) has acquired Karr's Septic Service, a Vinton, Iowa-based septic and wastewater pumping services provider. The acquisition expands Premier Tech's local service footprint in Eastern Iowa and adds time-of-transfer diagnostics and residential septic maintenance capabilities.

ImOn Communications has completed its acquisition of Danville Telecom after receiving all regulatory approvals. The deal adds Danville's 100% fiber-optic network (including subsidiary iConnectYou) to ImOn's regional footprint, enabling faster rollout of next-generation services to Burlington, West Burlington, Fort Madison, Keokuk and surrounding communities in Southeast Iowa.

GreatWater 360 Auto Care has acquired Cars, Trucks & Vans, a long-standing full-service auto repair shop in Davenport, Iowa. The shop will continue operating under its existing name and team while joining GreatWater's network to support the location with upgraded tools, training, and operational resources to deepen the company's presence in Iowa.

Inszone Insurance Services, a national insurance brokerage based in Sacramento, has acquired LJ Insurance, Inc., a longtime Keokuk, Iowa agency with an office in Fort Madison. The deal expands Inszone's presence in Iowa and broadens its life and health insurance offerings while providing LJ Insurance clients access to Inszone's broader carrier relationships and resources.

FBi Buildings, a Remington, Indiana–based post-frame construction firm, has acquired Eastern Iowa Building of Fairfax, Iowa, effective July 1, 2025. The acquisition expands FBi's presence in Iowa, preserves EIB's local operations and warranties, and provides EIB with additional resources and operational support to serve a wider geographic area.

Alamo Group Inc. completed the acquisition of Ring-O-Matic, Inc., a Pella, Iowa-based manufacturer of trailer-mounted and truck-mounted vacuum excavation equipment. The deal, funded with Alamo Group's cash on hand, adds Ring-O-Matic's hydro-excavation and sewer/storm drain cleaning product lines to Alamo's equipment portfolio to drive product offering expansion and cost/revenue synergies.

Kingsgate Insurance has acquired Calvert & Johnson Insurance Services in a deal effective Monday, adding the Fort Dodge-based agency's advisors and client relationships to Kingsgate's platform. The acquisition expands Kingsgate's local presence and product offerings — including employee benefits, agribusiness, and crop insurance — while Calvert & Johnson clients will continue with the same advisors during the transition.

Apella Wealth announced that Iron Horse Wealth Management, a fee-only RIA led by Dennis Markway, has joined Apella, adding $574 million in AUM and establishing Apella’s first Midwest-based team in Johnston, Iowa. The entire Iron Horse team joined Apella, with Markway becoming Regional Director; the deal closed June 20, 2025 and brings Apella to $6.08 billion in AUM.

Superior Environmental Solutions (SES), a Palladium Equity Partners portfolio company, has acquired Captain Clean, a family-owned industrial cleaning services provider operating in Iowa and Nebraska. The add-on transaction expands SES’s Midwest footprint and enhances its recurring industrial cleaning and vacuum/tank services for agriculture, food processing and other manufacturing customers; financial terms were not disclosed.

Intirion Corporation, the B2B division of Danby Appliances, has acquired approximately two-thirds of the academic direct rental division of Collegiate Concepts, Inc., expanding its academic direct rental portfolio. The integration is underway as Intirion (and the MicroFridge brand) look to broaden their reach across North American colleges, universities, and student housing programs.

The Kleinfelder Group, a Lindsay Goldberg–backed engineering and professional services firm, has acquired Veenstra & Kimm, a multidisciplinary engineering firm headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. The deal establishes Kleinfelder's newly created Midwest Division, expands its service capabilities, and accelerates geographic growth in the Midwest.

CES Family of Companies, backed by Cooper Management, LLC, has acquired Bolton & Hay of Des Moines, Iowa. Bolton & Hay will operate as a division of Wilson Restaurant Supply, expanding CES’ foodservice equipment, supplies and service footprint in Iowa and across the Midwest. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Pete & Gerry's Organics, LLC has acquired Kalona, Iowa-based Farmers Hen House, a supplier of Certified Humane organic, free-range and pasture-raised shell eggs. The acquisition adds over 90 partner family farms and a modern processing facility in Iowa, increasing Pete & Gerry's packing capacity and supporting growth across the Midwest and West; terms were not disclosed.

Rensa Filtration, a PE-backed manufacturer and distributor of air filtration products, has acquired Air Filtration Co., Inc., a family-owned maker and distributor of spray booth and industrial air filters with production facilities in Lancaster, California and Corydon, Iowa. The deal expands Rensa's geographic footprint in California and Iowa and adds Air Filtration Co.'s spray booth filtration product line to Rensa's portfolio.

Sky Auto Mall (owned by Yelena and Alex Tovstanovsky) acquired Van Horn Ford and Van Horn Chevrolet in Newhall, Iowa from Van Horn Automotive Group. The transaction is a divestiture that lets Van Horn Automotive Group reinvest and focus growth on its Wisconsin platform while Sky Auto Mall expands its franchise footprint in Iowa.

Building Products Inc. (BPI), a Watertown, South Dakota–based building materials distributor, has acquired Heartland Millwork, a custom millwork manufacturer in Larchwood, Iowa. The acquisition expands BPI’s custom millwork manufacturing capabilities and production capacity, enabling broader product offerings, operational efficiencies, and an expanded reach in its Midwest markets.

Flow Control Management (FCM), a private equity-backed holding company sponsored by The Edgewater Funds, has acquired Master Packing & Rubber Company (MPRC), a Cedar Rapids-based manufacturer and supplier of gaskets and seals serving agricultural transport and processing markets. The add-on expands FCM's MRO gasket and seal offerings and strengthens its presence in the agriculture value chain.

Granite Creek Capital Partners has acquired Ritchie Industries, a century-old manufacturer of automated livestock watering products headquartered in Conrad, Iowa. The transaction is supported by an investment from Rural American Fund and a rollover by Ritchie's management and employees to fund product innovation and expand Ritchie’s presence in existing and international livestock markets.

Waverly Advisors, a Birmingham-based RIA, has acquired Dickinson Investment Advisors of Council Bluffs, Iowa, with the Dickinson team joining Waverly. The deal closed January 10, 2025, and marks Waverly's 21st transaction since its 2021 equity investment from Wealth Partners Capital Group and HGGC's Aspire Holdings platform, increasing Waverly's AUM to approximately $16.4 billion.

Pete & Gerry's Organics (the Butterfly Equity-backed egg platform) has acquired Pasture Brands Holdings — the holding company for Farmers Hen House and Pillars Yogurt — from Benford Capital Partners. The transaction (closed January 9, 2025) expands Pete & Gerry's branded specialty egg and dairy portfolio and continues consolidation in natural/conventional grocery and club channels.

ALKEME, a Top 35 insurance brokerage based in Ladera Ranch, California, acquired Relion Insurance Solutions, one of Iowa's largest insurance agencies. The deal expands ALKEME's Midwest presence and allows Relion to leverage ALKEME's resources while maintaining service continuity.

Chattanooga-based media platform Firecrown has acquired Active Interest Media's Marine Group, including consumer titles such as Sail, Anglers Journal, Power & Motoryacht and Yachts International. Firecrown said it will retain the group's editorial, sales and publishing staff and plans to invest in the next generation of the marine brands as it expands its affluent enthusiast media portfolio.

Innovative Fluid Handling Group (IFH Group), a portfolio company of The Mendota Group, has acquired Dynamic Tube, Inc., a Maquoketa, Iowa-based custom tube fabrication and precision-machined parts supplier. The transaction is an add-on acquisition that expands IFH Group's manufacturing capabilities and product offering for off-road, heavy equipment, agricultural and industrial end markets.

Hidden Harbor Capital Partners has acquired Norplex Micarta, a North American producer of thermoset composite materials, from Industrial Dielectrics Holdings, Inc. Stellus Capital Management provided unitranche debt financing to support the transaction. Hidden Harbor plans to provide operational and financial resources to scale Norplex Micarta's operations and execute on growth initiatives across electrification and industrial end markets.

Golden Gate Capital has made a growth investment in Brava Roof Tile to support the company's production capacity expansion and broader growth initiatives. Brava's management, led by CEO Adam Brantman and CMO Andrew Ahrens, will continue to lead the company and remain significant shareholders; financial terms were not disclosed.

Baker Manufacturing Company, a Blue Sage Capital portfolio company, has acquired the Pump Division of A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co., including the full pump product line of submersible, booster, jet, sump pumps and pressure tanks. The add-on expands Baker’s Water Systems product offerings and market coverage for residential and agricultural end markets, with TPG Twin Brook providing financing and advisors representing both sides.

Eximia Research, a Raleigh-based integrated clinical research network, has acquired Integrated Clinical Trial Services, Inc. (ICTS), a dedicated clinical research clinic in West Des Moines, Iowa. The acquisition expands Eximia’s Midwest footprint and increases local patient access to clinical trials across multiple therapeutic areas including pediatrics, neurology and dermatology.

Corporate Technologies, a Tonka Bay Equity Partners portfolio company, has acquired RSPN, an MSP based in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The deal expands Corporate Technologies' national footprint to 17 markets and is the firm's second acquisition since partnering with Tonka Bay in 2023.

Consolidated Equipment Group (CEG), a portfolio company of Dominus Capital, has acquired Agile Manufacturing Group, LLC, a Granite, Iowa-based maker of agricultural, industrial and construction attachments marketed under the GrabTec and Miller Loader brands. The deal is an add-on to CEG's platform to broaden its product suite and expand into adjacent material-handling end markets; Agile founder Mike Feilmeier will remain in leadership as Vice President of Agile Products.

Seattle-based private equity firm Sound Growth Partners acquired Stueve Construction, a leading U.S. designer and builder of bulk fertilizer storage facilities, with capital provided by Brookside Capital Partners, Capitala Group and other investors. The transaction will support Stueve's next phase of growth and innovation as the company continues to serve major fertilizer manufacturers, distributors, retailers and cooperatives.

WealthPlan Partners, a national Registered Investment Adviser based in Omaha, acquired EFS Wealth Management Group, a Sioux City/Sioux Falls-based wealth management firm that manages approximately $360 million in client assets. EFS founder Marc Geels will join WealthPlan as Head of Private Wealth Management to build the firm's ultra-high-net-worth capability as WealthPlan expands its Midwest presence.

HBM Holdings has acquired Calcium Products, Inc., a manufacturer of calcium-based fertilizers headquartered in Ames, Iowa, from an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners. The deal adds approximately 130 employees and expands HBM's agricultural and specialty fertilizer capabilities as part of its portfolio diversification and buy-and-build strategy.