Acquisitions in Iowa in 2026

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.