Acquisitions in Missouri in 2020

Road Safety Services, a Parallel49 Equity portfolio company, completed an add-on acquisition of Twin Traffic Marking Corp. and Traffic Zone Services (collectively “Twin Traffic”), expanding its pavement marking and traffic control capabilities. The deal bolsters RSS’s scale and presence in the Central U.S., particularly Kansas and Missouri, and supports continued platform buildout in road safety services.

New Charter Technologies, a platform backed by Oval Partners, has acquired Stronghold Data, an established managed services provider based in Joplin, Missouri. The deal expands New Charter's MSP footprint across Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas and represents another add-on in Oval Partners’ buy-and-build strategy for New Charter.

On December 28, 2020, private equity firm American Industrial Partners (AIP) invested $50 million (a combination of loan and equity) in Orizon Aerostructures to provide additional liquidity and support the company’s growth and long-term strategy. The capital will help Orizon expand capabilities across its advanced machining, processing and assembly operations for commercial and defense aerostructure platforms.

NorthCurrent Partners, a New York–based private investment firm backed by family office capital, acquired Tri-State Water, Power & Air as a platform company in the home services sector. The deal closed on December 23, 2020; NorthCurrent will partner with Tri-State's management to support organic growth and pursue add-on acquisitions across the Midwest.

WILsquare Capital’s portfolio company Crown Products, Inc. acquired substantially all assets of Jer-And, Inc., a St. Louis-based distributor of flooring and flooring installation solutions. The add-on expands Crown Products’ footprint across the Midwest and Rocky Mountain region; financial terms were not disclosed.

Offen Petroleum has closed on the acquisition of the business assets of Ozark Mountain Energy and its affiliate trucking company Petroleum Express, both based in Mt. Vernon, Missouri. Offen — a portfolio company of Court Square Capital Partners — will operate the acquired businesses under the Ozark Mountain Energy name in the Mid-continent and Midwestern states, with Brent, Eric and Kyle Wilmoth joining Offen’s leadership; Brent also purchased a significant equity stake in Offen.

Promus Equity Partners has made an investment in Anything Possible LLC (Anything Possible Brands), a Springfield, Missouri-based maker of fishing gear for children and recreational anglers. The founder Ralph Duda III will remain president; Promus said the capital will support organic growth, build operating capabilities and enable future acquisitions.

Norwest Equity Partners (NEP) has acquired Red Monkey Foods, a Springfield, Missouri-based maker of organic spices, seasonings and branded salts, from San Francisco Equity Partners (SFEP). Financial terms were not disclosed; NEP said it will partner with Red Monkey's management to scale the company's private-label and branded salt businesses across grocery, mass, specialty and e-commerce channels. SFEP, which invested in Red Monkey in 2016, more than tripled revenue and EBITDA during its ownership.

Industrial Inspection & Analysis, Inc. (IIA) has acquired St. Louis Testing Laboratories, Inc. (SLTL), a St. Louis-based commercial testing laboratory founded in 1929. The acquisition expands IIA's capabilities into destructive testing (mechanical, chemical and metallurgical testing) and strengthens its geographic presence in the central United States.

HES Facilities LLC, backed by private equity firm Nautic Partners, has acquired WFF Facility Services and Clean‑Tech Company in a deal that consolidates regional janitorial, groundskeeping, and facility management capabilities under HES. The transaction positions HES as a national leader in education‑focused facilities management and will keep WFF and Clean‑Tech management (including Jonathan Campbell and the Fiala family) as shareholders and operators while Nautic and HES drive further add‑on growth.

Dickinson Fleet Services, backed by majority shareholder Ridgemont Equity Partners, has acquired Interstate Truck Center of Kansas City, Missouri. The deal creates a combined mobile maintenance platform (700+ mobile repair units) that expands Dickinson's national mobile and emergency fleet maintenance capabilities and positions the business for further growth.

Epiphany Dermatology has expanded into Missouri by acquiring Dermatology Associates, Inc. in St. Louis and adding Dr. Oliver McKee and his support staff to its provider network. The partnership will give the practice access to Epiphany's operational infrastructure — including managed care, marketing, HR and recruiting — as Epiphany continues to grow its multi-state clinic platform.

The Carlyle Group has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Manna Pro Products from investment funds managed by Morgan Stanley Capital Partners; financial terms were not disclosed. Manna Pro, a St. Louis–based manufacturer and marketer of pet food, treats and pet health products, will be supported by Carlyle to expand its core business, scale acquisitions and pursue domestic and international growth.

Congruex, the Crestview Partners‑backed telecom engineering and construction platform, has acquired True North Management Services, a St. Louis‑based regional wireless infrastructure services provider. The add‑on expands Congruex’s Midwest footprint and broadens its offerings into wireless small cell, tower construction, maintenance and emergency response services; financial terms were not disclosed.

RV Retailer, LLC announced an agreement to acquire Lifestyle RVs in Grain Valley, Missouri, marking RV Retailer's first location in Missouri and its 35th store overall. The acquisition expands RV Retailer's presence in the Kansas City market and adds sales, service and parts capability; the deal was expected to close on October 30, 2020.

Comlinkdata, a Boston-based telecom market analytics firm backed by Alpine Investors, has acquired ShareTracker, a U.S.-based telecom research and analytics company. The acquisition expands Comlinkdata's data and analytics capabilities to provide broader, real-time telecom insights to network operators, handset OEMs, and other industry customers.

Katena Products, a global provider of ophthalmic instruments and devices (PE-backed by Audax Private Equity), has acquired Micro-Select Instruments, a St. Clair, Missouri-based manufacturer of high-precision ophthalmic surgical instruments. Katena will combine Micro-Select with its prior St. Louis instrument acquisition to expand its instrument manufacturing capabilities and support its buy-and-build strategy.

VSS Capital Partners led a growth investment in Podiatry Growth Partners (PGP), a St. Louis–headquartered podiatry practice management platform, to support the company's national expansion and add-on acquisition strategy. Additional investors in the financing include Compass Group Equity Partners, Siguler Guff, and SunGate Capital; financial terms were not disclosed.

Great Range Capital has announced an investment to launch FairWave Holdings, a specialty coffee holding company that brings together Kansas City brands The Roasterie and Messenger Coffee Company. The founders will remain investors and board members while FairWave (led by CEO Dan Trott) will support growth, operations, and preserve each brand's local identity.

Alitus Partners has acquired ATRO Engineered Systems, a St. Clair, Missouri-based designer, manufacturer and distributor of polyurethane parts for the heavy‑duty truck aftermarket. Five Points Capital and Graycliff Partners provided unitranche debt financing and minority equity co-investments to support the transaction.

Bruker Corporation has acquired Canopy Biosciences, LLC to strengthen its targeted multi-omics and high-plex biomarker imaging capabilities, adding Canopy's ChipCytometry platform and multi-omics services. Financial terms were not disclosed; Ampersand Capital Partners was identified as Canopy's lead investor.

KAR Global (KAR) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire BacklotCars, a Kansas City–based dealer-to-dealer online wholesale vehicle marketplace, for $425 million. The acquisition expands KAR’s digital remarketing capabilities by adding BacklotCars’ 24/7 bid-ask marketplace, vehicle inspection services and AI-driven recommendations to KAR’s existing TradeRev and broader remarketing platform.

Mallory Safety and Supply has acquired Wise Safety & Environmental, a St. Louis-based distributor of safety supplies and abatement products and services. The deal (terms undisclosed) expands Mallory’s national footprint to 30 locations, adding eight Wise Safety full-service and warehouse sites and enabling coast-to-coast 24-hour delivery and expanded MRO, vending, training and supply-chain capabilities.

Essig has acquired Performance Tool LLC, a Moberly, Missouri-based manufacturer of tools, dies, fixtures and industrial hardware, and established Essig Manufacturing LLC (Essig MFG) to integrate manufacturing capabilities into its product lifecycle offering. The acquisition expands Essig's design-build capabilities, enabling faster delivery, improved quality and cost efficiencies for its large industrial customers.

KKR and XPV Water Partners' water-quality platform has acquired Environmental Dynamics International (EDI) and will integrate EDI into platform company Nexom to expand nutrient-management and aeration capabilities. EDI, a Columbia, Missouri–based manufacturer of diffused aeration systems founded in 1975, will combine with Nexom under Nexom CEO Martin Hildebrand to broaden the platform's municipal and industrial wastewater offerings.

Integrity Marketing Group completed the acquisition of McNerney Management Group (MMG), including its divisions Senior Marketing Specialists and Senior Benefit Services, to expand its life and health insurance distribution and senior-market capabilities. MMG's four equity owners joined Integrity as partners; financial terms were not disclosed and MMG's more than 100 employees will join Integrity's employee ownership plan.

Ozark Brands, Inc. acquired Heartland Fragrance on June 15, 2020. The acquisition brings Heartland's handmade bath and personal-care products into Ozark Brands' portfolio to expand product offerings and distribution channels, with production and distribution to be integrated at Ozark Brands' Tipton, Missouri facility.

Park Place Technologies has acquired Custom Hardware Engineering & Consulting, Inc. (CHE), a Missouri-based third-party maintenance provider for enterprise storage, networking and mainframe hardware. The deal expands Park Place's engineering depth and parts capabilities in the U.S., bringing CHE's government and large-enterprise customers access to Park Place's ParkView and Entuity network analytics platforms.

Architect Equity, a Los Angeles-based private investment firm, has acquired Faultless Brands, the Kansas City-based owner of consumer cleaning and fabric-care brands including Faultless, Niagara, Magic, Bon Ami and Trapp Fragrances. The family-owned business (founded 1887) will operate under Architect's ownership to support growth initiatives, product innovation and global distribution expansion.

General Tools & Instruments, a portfolio company of High Road Capital Partners, has acquired Garden Weasel from Faultless Brands. The deal, which closed April 29, 2020, transfers Garden Weasel's assets, trademarks and patents to General Tools and expands its product offering into lawn and garden tools; transaction financing was provided by Twin Brook Capital Partners.

Missouri Home Hospice, a Missouri-based operator of home health and hospice brands, has acquired HomeCare of Mid Missouri, a 47-year-old hospice and home health provider based in Moberly, Missouri. The acquisition expands Missouri Home Hospice's statewide network and local care coverage in the Columbia/Mid-Missouri region.

TierPoint agreed to receive $320 million of preferred equity led by Argo Infrastructure Partners, Wafra, and Macquarie Capital Principal Finance, with participation from existing investors including Cequel III, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, RedBird Capital Partners, The Stephens Group, and Thompson Street Capital Partners. Net proceeds will repay second-lien debt, reduce the revolving credit facility balance, and provide growth capital to fund TierPoint's continued expansion of its data-center and hybrid cloud services.

Valmont Utility, a business segment of Valmont Industries, has acquired a majority stake in Kansas City Utility Packaging (KCUP) and will operate the business as Valmont Substations LLC. The acquisition combines KCUP's substation engineering, design, and packaging capabilities with Valmont Utility's structural design and manufacturing to expand substation solutions and strengthen supply chain services for utility and renewable energy customers.

Safe Fleet, a portfolio company of Oak Hill Capital Partners, has acquired American Midwest Fleet Solutions (AMFS) to expand its in-field upfitting and installation services for commercial vehicle fleets across the United States and Canada. AMFS founders will remain with the business, and the deal strengthens Safe Fleet’s nationwide installation network and complementary safety, video and tracking capabilities.

Nivel Parts & Manufacturing Co LLC (Nivel) has acquired Side By Side Stuff and its subsidiary Octane Ridge, bringing Nivel into the growing UTV aftermarket parts and accessories market. The deal combines Nivel’s distribution and manufacturing scale with Side By Side Stuff’s brand, marketing reach and e-commerce presence; Side By Side Stuff and Octane Ridge will operate as independent subsidiaries within Nivel Specialty Vehicles and Scott Harper will continue to lead the business.

Ultra Defense Corp (UDC), a Tampa-based defense manufacturer, completed the acquisition of MAST Technology, Inc., a Warrensburg, Missouri ammunition and pyrotechnics manufacturer, in a transaction that closed Feb 29, 2020. UDC will operate MAST as a new division (UDC‑MAST) in Warrensburg to add Department of Defense ammunition manufacturing capabilities and pursue planned physical expansion of the facility.

ARC Industries, Inc., a Charlotte-based family office, has acquired the stock and real estate of Kelly-Hill Company, a Kansas City rail maintenance and construction contractor. The seller, long-time owner Neal Houser, is retiring and will phase out responsibilities over 12 months while the company's general manager became president and a significant shareholder. Kelly-Hill operates with about 40 employees and generates roughly $12–15 million in annual revenue.

Dealer Tire, backed by majority shareholder Bain Capital, has acquired Dent Wizard — North America's largest provider of automotive reconditioning services — from Gridiron Capital. Gridiron will reinvest alongside Bain, the Mueller family and Dent Wizard's management in the combined Dealer Tire / Dent Wizard aftermarket dealer services platform; financial terms were not disclosed.

BlackHawk Industrial, a US-based industrial distributor, has acquired J&S Tool Inc., a cutting-tool distributor, manufacturer and reconditioner located in O'Fallon, Missouri. The acquisition expands BlackHawk's distribution and manufacturing footprint in the St. Louis and Southern Illinois markets and adds precision reconditioning and manufacturing capabilities; financial terms were not disclosed.

AMMEGA, a portfolio company of Partners Group, has completed the acquisition of Midwest Industrial Rubber, Inc. (MIR) from Incline Equity Partners. MIR, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a leading U.S. fabricator and distributor of lightweight conveyor belts with 29 locations and 24/7 break-and-fix service to more than 3,500 client installations; the deal expands AMMEGA's direct-to-customer channel and strengthens its Americas organization.

Ipsos has acquired the Mystery Shopping business of the Maritz group (MaritzCX), transferring employees, shopper panels and client contracts to Ipsos effective January 31, 2020. The deal expands Ipsos' mystery shopping capabilities and consolidates its North American and global client footprint; the business was staffed by over 150 employees and served blue-chip retail clients across oil & gas, automotive and banking sectors.

Clearlake Capital Group, in partnership with Pretium management, has acquired Pretium Packaging from Genstar Capital. Pretium is a leading North American designer and manufacturer of rigid plastic packaging (containers, bottles, closures) headquartered in Chesterfield, Missouri, with a national footprint of 19 facilities; financial terms were not disclosed. Clearlake intends to operate Pretium as a buy-and-build platform to drive organic growth and pursue add-on acquisitions.

Potter Electric Signal Company, LLC of St. Louis has acquired TowerIQ, a designer and manufacturer of wireless life-safety and emergency communication systems. The acquisition expands Potter's life-safety and emergency communications capabilities and will support TowerIQ's product development and growth efforts.

An affiliate of The Carlyle Group and Cannae Holdings (via a healthcare joint venture) acquired substantially all assets of Trust Healthcare Consulting Services, LLC from WindRose Health Investors. TrustHCS, a Springfield, Missouri–based provider of coding, CDI, denial management and staffing services with a team of 500+ professionals, will operate under the new joint-venture ownership; terms were not disclosed.

Bullhorn, the cloud-based software provider for the staffing industry, acquired Herefish, a staffing automation platform, to accelerate automation and improve recruiter productivity across Bullhorn’s customer base. The acquisition integrates Herefish’s workflow and messaging automation capabilities into Bullhorn’s platform to help staffing firms reduce manual work and scale recruiter output; terms were not disclosed.