Acquisitions in Texas in 2018

Chicago-based private equity firm Periscope Equity has acquired Allen Technologies, Inc., an Austin, Texas-based provider of in-room patient engagement SaaS, from Greyrock Capital Group. Periscope said it will invest in Allen’s technology and pursue expansion into new healthcare provider markets.

Tower Extrusions, Ltd. acquired substantially all assets of Ascend Custom Extrusions LLC from Highlander Partners, L.P., expanding Tower's extrusion capacity in Wylie, Texas. The transaction transfers Ascend's three extrusion presses and finishing capabilities to Tower, broadening its product offering and ability to serve building, transportation, and consumer durables markets.

Pharos Capital, through its Family Treatment Network (FTN) platform, has acquired ABA of North Texas, an outpatient autism services provider based in Plano and McKinney, Texas. The add-on expands FTN's behavioral health and applied behavior analysis (ABA) service offerings in North Texas; terms were not disclosed.

US Ecology, Inc. acquired Ecoserv Industrial Disposal, LLC (the IDF), a non-hazardous industrial wastewater disposal business located in Winnie, Texas, from Ecoserv, LLC (majority owned by Lariat Partners). The transaction expands US Ecology’s Gulf Coast disposal capabilities, adding commercial caprock deep‑well injection capacity for difficult-to-treat Class 1 and 2 non-hazardous industrial waste streams.

Applied Adhesives, a division of Applied Products, Inc., has acquired Prairie Technology Group, a Hutto, Texas-based supplier of epoxy, polyurethane, acrylic adhesives, release agents, silicones and sealants. The buyer said it will build on Prairie’s capabilities and expand its value proposition across the United States and Mexico as part of its recent roll-up activity in the adhesives sector.

Clearlake Capital Group has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire symplr, a leading healthcare governance, risk and compliance (GRC) SaaS platform, from Pamlico Capital and The CapStreet Group. Clearlake views symplr as a platform for growth to accelerate product and acquisition-led expansion across healthcare provider and payer markets.

Onex Corporation acquired a 42% interest in Ryan, LLC for $317 million, valuing the Dallas-based global tax services and software provider at approximately $1.1 billion. The minority investment will support Ryan's continued expansion of service lines and global growth while partnering with founder and CEO G. Brint Ryan and the existing management team.

Park Place Technologies has acquired Houston-based Solid Systems CAD Services (SSCS), a global third-party maintenance (TPM) provider for enterprise IT hardware. The acquisition expands Park Place’s scale and service capabilities across multiple regions (including the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Malaysia, Singapore, Brazil, Finland and Japan) and strengthens its post-warranty hardware maintenance offering for enterprise and data center customers.

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation signed an agreement to acquire Softvision, LLC from Tower Arch Capital; the deal was expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2018. Softvision is a digital product engineering and design firm with over 2,850 employees across 25 studios in 11 countries, and the acquisition expands Cognizant's digital product engineering capabilities.

Ara Partners acquired a majority stake in Centric Gas Services, a Magnolia, Texas-based local natural gas distribution platform that serves approximately 14,500 customers across Texas. The Barnwell family, founders of Centric, retain a substantial minority ownership while Ara Partners provides capital and strategic support to expand Centric’s infrastructure and service footprint.

Dallas-based private equity firm SunTx Capital Partners announced an investment in Anchor Partners, the Dallas holding company for a family of metal manufacturing businesses. The investment will support Anchor's recent acquisition of a provider of proprietary intermodal equipment storage and transportation systems to the U.S. government and position the platform to pursue further add-on acquisitions and scale production; financial terms were not disclosed.

Worldwide Facilities, a national wholesale insurance broker and managing general agent, announced a Letter of Intent to acquire the assets of McClelland and Hine, Inc. and McClelland & Hine Trucking Underwriters LLC (collectively MHI). The deal is intended to expand Worldwide Facilities' geographic footprint and product underwriting capabilities, and MHI leadership (including Gil and Amicia Hine) will join the combined company and participate in an equity ownership plan.

TAS Environmental Services, a Fort Worth-based portfolio company of TEAM Partners, completed add-on acquisitions of Texas-based Donovan Industrial Service, LLC and ROTAP, LLC, both headquartered in Orange, Texas. The deals expand TAS's Gulf Coast presence and capabilities in industrial cleaning, spill response, transportation and roll-off box rental; financial terms were not disclosed.

Trinity Hunt Partners has acquired Improving (Improving Holdings), a full-service provider of technology and custom software development services. Trinity Hunt will partner with founder and CEO Curtis Hite and the existing management team (who remain significant shareholders) to accelerate growth organically and via strategic acquisitions across North America.

Level Equity has made a growth investment in TeamSupport, a B2B customer support software provider, to accelerate the company’s product development, customer success, sales, and marketing initiatives. Software Equity Group served as exclusive advisor to TeamSupport on the transaction.

Bertram Capital partnered with BearCom's executive management team to acquire Garland, Texas-based BearCom from LKCM Headwater Investments. The private equity firm positioned the deal as a new platform investment to support a buy-and-build strategy, accelerate organic growth and enhance capabilities via Bertram Labs; BearCom operates dozens of branches across North America and serves thousands of commercial, industrial and government customers.

Brown & Brown, Inc. has acquired Health Special Risk, Inc. (HSR), a managing general underwriter (MGU) and third-party administrator (TPA) specializing in special risk and accident & health insurance. HSR will continue operating from its Texas and Minnesota offices with principals Tom Lenihan (President) and Phil Munson (Executive VP) remaining in leadership roles under Brown & Brown’s American Specialty unit.

Marsh has agreed to acquire Houston-based Wortham Insurance, expanding Marsh’s footprint across Texas and combining operations in multiple regional offices. The deal, expected to close in Q3 2018, strengthens Marsh’s energy and power capabilities and will see the combined business operate as Marsh Wortham under Wortham’s current chairman Richard M. Blades as CEO.

Texas-based private equity firm Calidant Capital made an equity investment in The Five Star Institute, a Dallas-based trade association serving the U.S. residential mortgage and real estate market. The Five Star founder Mark Hulme and CEO Ed Delgado will remain with the company as Calidant provides capital to strengthen the business, expand offerings, and pursue organic growth and add-on acquisitions.

Ansira, a data-driven marketing solutions provider majority owned by Advent International, has acquired Brand Protection Agency (BPA), a Dallas-based SaaS platform for monitoring and managing online reseller channels. BPA will integrate into Ansira's Dallas office while its management team remains in place to support continued growth and product integration.

Pelican Energy Partners has completed a majority recapitalization of Lodestar International and is combining Lodestar with Aberdeen-based MaxWell Downhole Technology, providing growth capital to support greater rental-tool availability, improved service and faster product development. Lodestar will assume operational functions for the combined business as the group scales DWD (dynamics-while-drilling) tool rental, services and technology development across North America and internationally.

Uber Eats has acquired orderTalk, a restaurant online-ordering and POS-integration technology company originally founded in South Africa and later based in Dallas, Texas. The deal — announced by Knife Capital, which managed the HBD Venture Capital fund that invested in orderTalk — will strengthen Uber Eats' point-of-sale integration capabilities and represents a VC exit for Knife Capital and HBD Venture Capital; terms were not disclosed.

Fireman Capital Partners has acquired a majority stake in Bandon Holdings, an Austin, Texas–based Anytime Fitness franchisee. The investment gives Fireman control of Bandon’s multi-location gym platform (250+ locations per company filings) and is intended to support growth, scale operations, and accelerate the franchisee’s expansion.

O2 Investment Partners has invested in 1 Priority Environmental Services, a Fort Worth–headquartered asbestos abatement and environmental remediation company, acquiring a majority interest (terms not disclosed). O2 will partner with management to expand the business geographically and build the platform, with Deerpath Capital Management and Green Bank providing debt financing.

Affiliates of Palladium Equity Partners completed the sale of the parent of Jordan Health Services to Kelso & Company and Blue Wolf Capital Partners. The buyers combined Jordan with Great Lakes Caring and National Home Health Care to create a large national home-based care platform serving tens of thousands of patients and employing thousands of caregivers across multiple states.

O2 Investment Partners has made a significant growth investment in EMEX, LLC, partnering with President Dan Marzuola and management to accelerate the energy procurement platform’s growth. Tree Line Capital participated as a financial partner; terms were not disclosed. EMEX is a Houston-based technology-driven energy brokerage and enterprise software provider serving commercial, industrial and government customers across U.S. regulated and deregulated markets.

River Associates Investments, LP has acquired Quikserv Corp., a Houston-based manufacturer of transaction windows and drawer systems. Financial advisor Brown Gibbons Lang & Company represented Quikserv; transaction terms were not disclosed.

H.W. Kaufman Group Inc. has acquired Frisco-based premium financing company Stonemark Inc., merging Kaufman’s Royal Premium subsidiary with Stonemark under the Stonemark brand. Stonemark’s CEO Elizabeth Davies will lead the combined organization, which aims to expand premium financing services for retail insurance brokers and agents across the U.S. and Canada.

Linx Partners has partnered with the management team of Clover Telecom to acquire Clover Telecom from Clover Technologies Group. Clover Telecom, based in the Dallas, Texas area, is a provider of telecom equipment distribution, testing/repair, out-of-warranty technical support and field services; financial terms were not disclosed.

CSG has acquired Business Ink, an Austin-based provider of outsourced, multi-channel customer communications services, expanding CSG's customer communications capabilities and reach into new vertical markets. Business Ink serves more than 500 organizations across healthcare, financial services, professional services and utilities and has operations in Austin, Fort Worth and Charlotte.

GoDaddy Inc. agreed to acquire Main Street Hub for approximately $125 million in cash plus up to $50 million in potential earnouts. The acquisition adds Main Street Hub's "do-it-for-me" social media and digital marketing services for small businesses to GoDaddy's professional services offering; Main Street Hub's co-CEOs will join GoDaddy and its Austin offices will be retained.