Acquisitions in Ohio in 2015

An affiliate of D'Orazio Capital Partners and F.N.B. Capital Partners acquired Red Head Brass, LLC, a Shreve, Ohio-based manufacturer of couplings and fittings for the firefighting, industrial and oil & gas markets. Red Head Brass was a portfolio company of Guard Hill Holdings; the buyers said they will partner with management to support the company's growth.

Solidifi, a Buffalo-based provider of residential real estate appraisal services, acquired Cincinnati-based Southwest Financial Services Ltd., a national provider of outsourced title, valuation and flood-determination services to home equity lenders. The deal expands Solidifi’s home-equity product offerings and strengthens its solutions for lenders, while Southwest’s president will remain on as an advisor.

PRETTL Manufacturing Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of The PRETTL Group, has acquired Kurz-Kasch, Inc. from Monomoy Capital Partners. Kurz-Kasch, a Newcomerstown, Ohio-based specialty manufacturer of coils, stators and related components with ~100 employees, will expand PRETTL's manufacturing capabilities and product offering across automotive, energy and industrial end markets.

Chicago-based holding company Madison Industries has purchased Ferry Industries Inc., a Stow, Ohio manufacturer of rotational molding machinery, band-saws and CNC machining centers. Ferry's president and long-time owner Harry Covington will remain as president and retain an ownership stake; Madison plans to make Ferry the foundational company for its new Madison Industrial Solutions group to grow via complementary acquisitions.

Emerald Expositions, LLC acquired three design- and event-focused brands — Healthcare Design (conference + magazine), Environments For Aging (EFA), and Construction SuperConference (CSC) — from Vendome Group, LLC. The brands and team (based in Cleveland, Ohio) will join Emerald's Design Group; financial terms were not disclosed and Berkery Noyes represented Vendome.

Nudo Products, a PE-backed manufacturer of laminated panels, has acquired Marlite, Inc., an Ohio-based maker of interior wall and ceiling panel solutions. The deal combines Nudo's laminating and commercial building product capabilities with Marlite's decorative and functional panel systems to create a larger integrated provider for retail, healthcare and commercial customers across the U.S. and Canada.