Acquisitions in Washington in 2019

Alera Group acquired Seattle-based Muench Financial, Inc., effective December 31, 2019. The deal brings Jon Muench and his team into Alera Group's wealth management and retirement services practice, expanding Alera's capabilities and presence in the Pacific Northwest.

Discovery Behavioral Health acquired Associated Behavioral Health Care (ABHC) of Seattle, a four-center provider of outpatient addiction and mental health services in the Puget Sound region, with the deal closing on December 31, 2019. The acquisition expands Discovery’s footprint and clinical capabilities in the Pacific Northwest, adding services such as psychiatry, psychology, TMS, chemical dependency counseling and medication management across Bellevue, North Seattle, West Seattle and Kent.

Sea Lion Corporation, an Alaska Native Village Corporation based in Hooper Bay, acquired Proto Technologies, a Liberty Lake, Washington-based prototyping and low-volume manufacturing firm that provides machining, 3D printing and urethane casting services. The deal was announced by ACT Capital Advisors, which represented Proto Technologies in the sale.

Aspen Surgical Products, Inc., a PE-backed manufacturer of surgical disposables, has acquired Beatty Marketing & Sales LLP, a Redmond, Washington-based maker of orthopedic positioning products, sterile positioning kits and suture retrievers. The add-on expands Aspen's orthopedic disposables portfolio and increases its reach into hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers across North America.

Belcan, a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners, acquired Base2 Solutions, a Bellevue-based provider of software and systems engineering consulting services, from Safran. The acquisition expands Belcan's digital systems and software capabilities and broadens its geographic footprint in major U.S. aerospace hubs. Terms were not disclosed.

MREHAB Holdings, Inc. has acquired Medical Rehabilitation Consultants, a Spokane, Washington–based provider of medical case management and utilization management services. ACT Capital Advisors acted as advisor to Medical Rehabilitation Consultants in the transaction. The target provides cost-containment and utilization management services to insurance companies, self-insured employers, third-party administrators, public programs and other clients across the United States.

Toronto-based private equity firm Lynx Equity Limited has acquired Prime Flooring LLC, a full-service commercial flooring and equipment rental company based in Ephrata, Washington. The deal is an add-on to Lynx's existing flooring portfolio (including G&W Commercial Interiors); Prime's co-founders Tanner and Shanel Halley will remain with the company post-transaction.

Luminate Capital Partners, a San Francisco-based private equity firm, made a strategic growth investment in Quantivate, a Seattle-based provider of SaaS governance, risk and compliance (GRC) software. The investment will support Quantivate’s product innovation, team expansion and market growth; Luminate partners will join Quantivate’s board. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Columbia River Partners (CRP), a newly formed private investment firm, completed the carveout acquisition of the avionics division now operating as Sagetech Avionics Corp, based in White Salmon, Washington. CRP acquired the business from a company in receivership and intends to expand Sagetech's product portfolio, engineering capacity and global reach to serve commercial and military unmanned aerial systems (UAS) markets.

CRU Group has acquired Coking.com, Inc., the U.S.-based operator of the RefComm conference series and provider of refinery-focused consulting, training, and field services. The deal brings RefComm’s flagship Delayed Coking conference and technical services into CRU’s events and energy market intelligence portfolio, with Coking.com owners Paul Orlowski and Evan Hyde remaining with the business.

U-C Coatings, a portfolio company of High Road Capital Partners, acquired the assets of Eco Chemical, Inc., a Seattle-based maker of waterborne wood stains and industrial coatings; the deal closed on September 9, 2019. The acquisition expands U-C Coatings' product offerings into the pressure-treated lumber channel, deepens its presence on the U.S. West Coast, and was financed with support from Madison Capital; Eco Chemical founders also reinvested alongside High Road.

Zoetis has completed the acquisition of Phoenix Central Laboratory for Veterinarians, Inc. (Phoenix Lab), a Mukilteo, Washington-based veterinary reference laboratory. The purchase expands Zoetis's diagnostics capabilities by adding reference laboratory services to its existing point-of-care diagnostic portfolio; financial terms were not disclosed.

Insignia Capital Group, a San Francisco Bay Area private equity firm, made a strategic minority investment in Netrush, a Vancouver, Washington–based Amazon retailer and e-commerce services provider. Founders Brian Gonsalves and Chris Marantette retained majority ownership and will continue to lead the company as Insignia supports Netrush's continued growth and capability expansion.

Lometa Capital Partners has acquired Monaco Enterprises, Inc. in a recapitalization transaction and partnered with management to support growth of the company's integrated emergency management systems business. American Investment Company provided debt financing to support the recapitalization; Lometa intends to fund geographic expansion, invest in talent, and accelerate product development and add-on acquisitions.

Futuri Media LLC, a Millpond Equity Partners portfolio company, has acquired Prep+—a tech-enabled show-prep and content software offering—from ReelWorld. The acquisition expands Futuri's content creation and show-prep capabilities for broadcasters and publishers, integrating Prep+'s continuous news/music updates and social distribution tools into Futuri's SaaS suite.

Agriculture Capital has acquired Firestone Pacific Foods, a frozen fruit processor that operates IQF processing, packing and cold storage facilities. The investment will expand Firestone’s processing and cold storage capacity and help Agriculture Capital build a vertically integrated fruit platform (AC Foods) with access to blueberry farms and private-label, industrial and retail outlets.

Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC) will acquire Blue North Fisheries and Clipper Seafoods and organize them under a newly formed subsidiary, Bristol Bay Alaska Seafoods, to strengthen its position in the Bering Sea freezer longline cod fishery. The deal closes on September 30 and BBNC says the acquisition will drive operational efficiencies, product expansion and greater market consolidation while retaining existing management and staff.

Xoriant Corporation has acquired Arth Systems, a Redmond-based Microsoft-focused systems integrator and cloud managed services provider. The acquisition strengthens Xoriant's Microsoft cloud stack capabilities and system-integration expertise to better serve mid-market clients in technology, retail, and healthcare.

Parker Hannifin Corporation completed the cash acquisition of Exotic Metals Forming Company LLC for $1.725 billion. The purchase brings Exotic's high-temperature, high-pressure air and exhaust management and complex engine turbine hot-section assemblies into Parker's Aerospace group to expand Parker's engine and aircraft systems capabilities.

Vector Capital made a meaningful growth equity investment in MoxiWorks, a real estate technology platform, with Software Equity Group serving as exclusive advisor. The capital will be used to accelerate product development, scale sales and marketing, and selectively pursue acquisitions; existing shareholder-customers Windermere Real Estate, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, and Long & Foster Real Estate will leverage the platform to support growth.

NetWise Data LLC has acquired WhoToo, the Data-as-a-Service business previously owned by Demandbase, enabling NetWise to upgrade WhoToo’s B2B and B2C customer data with NetWise’s enriched datasets. The deal will allow NetWise to form more-direct relationships with enterprise clients and immediately improve the accuracy and completeness of WhoToo’s data offerings.

Regent, a Beverly Hills-based private equity firm, acquired the U.S. assets of Accell North America — including the Diamondback, Redline and IZIP brands and the U.S. distribution business for Raleigh, Haibike and Ghost. The combined U.S. portfolio will be based in Kent, Washington and operate as Alta Cycling Group, giving Regent an established distribution and direct-to-consumer platform in the cycling sector.

Advancing Eyecare, a PE‑backed ophthalmic instrument platform formed by Atlantic Street Capital with industry partners, has acquired Ophthalmic Instruments & Consulting Company (OIC), a Pacific Northwest supplier of classical and diagnostic ophthalmic equipment. The add‑on expands Advancing Eyecare’s regional coverage and service capabilities to better serve ophthalmologists and optometrists.

Bluff Point Associates, a Westport, Connecticut-based private equity firm, has acquired Swizznet, a Seattle-based provider of cloud hosting and IT services for CPA firms and accounting departments. The deal is intended to provide additional funding to accelerate Swizznet's product development, sales and support expansion and strengthen Bluff Point's position in financial application hosting for the SMB market.

EQT VII has agreed to acquire Acumatica, a Bellevue-based cloud-native ERP software vendor, from the company's founders, management and other minority investors; financial terms were not disclosed. Acumatica will remain an independent, channel-focused SaaS business led by CEO Jon Roskill and will operate as a sister company to EQT's existing ERP portfolio company IFS to pursue cross‑pollination of R&D, go-to-market synergies and accelerated growth in the SMB ERP market.

Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd. agreed to acquire AIM Aerospace from Liberty Hall Capital Partners for US$510 million in cash. AIM Aerospace, a Renton, Washington–based designer and manufacturer of advanced composite structures, engine components and thermoplastic aerospace technologies, becomes a wholly owned operating company of Sekisui to expand the acquirer's aerospace materials and manufacturing capabilities.

Accenture has acquired Deja vu Security, a Seattle-area company that specializes in security design and testing for enterprise applications and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Deja vu Security will join Accenture Security's Cyber Defense offerings to deepen Accenture's capabilities in application and IoT security; financial terms were not disclosed.

Foursquare has signed an agreement to acquire Placed from Snap Inc., adding Placed Attribution to Foursquare’s location technology product suite. The deal is supported by a $150 million investment in Foursquare led by The Raine Group to fund the acquisition and accelerate R&D; Placed founder David Shim will join Foursquare’s executive team.

Stratus Video, a portfolio company of Kinderhook Industries, has acquired InDemand Interpreting from Health Enterprise Partners. The merger combines two leaders in video-remote interpreting (VRI) to expand language-access capabilities and technology for healthcare providers across the United States as an add-on to the Stratus platform.

Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) has made a $150 million investment to acquire a significant stake in MOD Super Fast Pizza Holdings, LLC (MOD Pizza). The growth capital will fund expansion of MOD’s fast-casual pizza footprint (433 locations system-wide), accelerate domestic and international openings, and support investments in off-premise and digital capabilities.

OSW Equipment & Repair LLC of Snohomish, Washington has acquired Northend Truck Equipment Inc, a Marysville, Washington-based custom manufacturer and upfitter of dump trucks, service trucks, snow plows and cranes. ACT Capital Advisors served as exclusive sell-side advisor to Northend, enabling founder Greg Stewart to transition ownership while OSW expands its manufacturing and upfitting capabilities and presence in related end-user markets.

Tendril, a Boulder-based provider of AI-powered utility customer experience and demand-side management (DSM) solutions, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire EnergySavvy, a Seattle-based leader in personalized utility customer engagement. The acquisition expands Tendril’s platform capabilities by adding EnergySavvy’s multi-channel personalization, advanced analytics and automated program delivery to deliver an end-to-end residential utility customer experience.

ISSQUARED, a global IT security and infrastructure services provider, has acquired Network Computing Architects, Inc. (NCA) to expand its West Coast presence and add networking, security and carrier solutions. NCA, founded in Bellevue, Washington, will join ISSQUARED's operations (the combined company remains headquartered in the Greater Los Angeles area) and CEO Tom Gobeille has been appointed Vice President and Chief Evangelist.

Tailwind Capital, a New York-based middle market private equity firm, announced the acquisition of RANDYS Worldwide Automotive, a designer and asset-light supplier of engineered drivetrain products for the automotive aftermarket. Tailwind said it will partner with RANDYS' management to leverage the company's brands and customer loyalty to grow the business through new product lines and channels.

Pluralsight, Inc. agreed to acquire GitPrime, a developer productivity analytics platform, for $170 million in cash. The deal (expected to close the week of May 6) will integrate GitPrime's developer productivity insights into Pluralsight's technology skills and learning platform to give enterprise customers visibility into developer performance and outcomes.

Lightyear Capital has acquired a controlling stake in Lighthouse Technologies Holdings Corp (Lighthouse), a Seattle-headquartered provider of technology-enabled eDiscovery, information governance and GRC software and services. The transaction gives Lightyear control of Lighthouse as part of a growth strategy to expand the company's enterprise data management and eDiscovery capabilities; Spire Capital Partners (a prior investor) exited in the transaction.

Francisco Partners has made a majority growth investment in PayScale, Inc., valuing the Seattle-based SaaS compensation data and analytics provider at an enterprise value of $325 million. Warburg Pincus is exiting its investment as part of the transaction, and the capital will be used to support PayScale’s product innovation and growth.

Lear Corporation completed the acquisition of Seattle-based Xevo Inc., a provider of connected-car software, in April 2019. The deal strengthens Lear's software, services, and data analytics capabilities for in-vehicle connectivity and commerce; Xevo employs roughly 300 people, primarily in Seattle and Tokyo.

Carlisle Companies Incorporated (NYSE:CSL) has acquired MicroConnex Corporation, a Snoqualmie, Washington-based manufacturer of high-density interconnect solutions, and will integrate the business into its Carlisle Interconnect Technologies (CIT) operating segment. Cleary Gull acted as exclusive financial advisor to MicroConnex. The acquisition expands Carlisle's advanced manufacturing capabilities—including flexible printed circuits and laser micromachined components—to better serve medical device, sensor, and test & measurement OEM markets.

Gemspring Capital (via an affiliate) completed a strategic growth investment in Valant Medical Solutions, a Seattle-based provider of behavioral health electronic health record (EHR) and practice management SaaS used by over 2,000 practices and 12,000 behavioral health professionals. The capital will be used to accelerate product development, expand sales and marketing capabilities, and support the company’s continued growth across the U.S.

Mittler Brothers Machine & Tool has acquired Tanner Racing Products, Inc.; Capstone Strategic served as M&A advisor to Mittler Brothers on the transaction. Tanner Racing Products, a manufacturer and distributor of motorsports products formerly of Auburn, Washington, will continue under founder Kelly Tanner and will be headquartered in Foristell while maintaining facilities in Auburn.

Smile Brands Inc., a Gryphon Investors–backed dental support organization based in Irvine, California, has partnered with Gateway Dental in Seattle to provide full-service administrative support while the practice continues to operate under its existing brand. Gateway Dental, founded in 1992 and led by Dr. G. Glenn Buchanan and Dr. John Kim, will keep its existing staff of 14 and retain clinical operations while Smile Brands supplies purchasing, payroll, IT, billing, facilities and marketing support.

TELEO Capital Management completed the acquisition of UMT360, a Bellevue, Washington-based provider of Enterprise Project Portfolio Management (PPM) software and consulting services. TELEO said it will provide operational expertise and capital to scale UMT360’s software and services offerings and accelerate growth and market share; Cascadia Capital served as financial advisor to UMT360.

Golden West Packaging Group LLC, a packaging platform formed by private equity firm Lindsay Goldberg, has acquired Allpak Container, LLC. The deal expands Golden West’s West Coast manufacturing footprint and adds Allpak’s flexographic printing and high-end consumer packaging capabilities across Washington state.

Advarra acquired Quorum Review IRB and its research and technology consulting division, Kinetiq, expanding the combined company's IRB, IBC and research compliance capabilities. The deal creates the largest global integrated IRB and research compliance services organization, broadening Advarra’s geographic reach (including Quorum’s Seattle office) and service offerings for pharmaceutical, biotech, device, academic and health system clients.

NWI Enterprises, a Harbour Group company, has acquired RailFX, a Tacoma-based manufacturer of specialty aluminum railing systems. The acquisition combines RailFX's branded railing products with NWI's Ultra-Tec infill offering to create a single-vendor railing solution for the lumber and building materials channel; terms were not disclosed.

NFI Industries has acquired SCR Air Services, an intermodal-focused, non-asset transportation brokerage headquartered in Seattle. The deal expands NFI's non-asset intermodal and refrigerated brokerage capabilities and increases its presence in the Pacific Northwest.

JFrog acquired Shippable, a Seattle-based CI/CD and DevOps automation platform, to integrate continuous integration and delivery capabilities into the JFrog DevOps platform. The acquisition brings Shippable's cloud-native and Kubernetes-ready pipeline technology into JFrog's Enterprise+ offering to provide an end-to-end DevOps solution from code to production.

Providence St. Joseph Health has acquired Lumedic, a Seattle-based blockchain-enabled revenue cycle management platform, by purchasing Lumedic's assets and team and preserving the Lumedic brand. Providence will integrate Lumedic's distributed ledger, smart contracts, and machine learning capabilities to improve claims processing, interoperability between providers and payers, and reduce administrative costs across its health system.

Detroit-based Peninsula Capital Partners (via Peninsula Fund VI LP) acquired a majority interest in Spokane Valley precision parts manufacturer American Alloy from its founder (who remains CEO). At the same time Peninsula sold its interest in Seattle-based hydro-excavation provider Pro‑Vac to RLJ Equity Partners; terms of both transactions were not disclosed.