XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce it served as exclusive advisor to Barnes International, Inc. (Barnes) in its sale to Komline-Sanderson Corporation (Komline).

Founded in 1907 and based in Rockford, Illinois, Barnes manufactures an extensive line of quality coolant filtration solutions, including pressure and vacuum filtration systems, for a variety of industrial applications. The company was named a GM “Supplier of the Year” recipient in 2017 and received a Honda Motor Company Sustainability Award in 2020 for its Henry Filters division. In addition to major U.S. automotive companies, Barnes serves customers in the aerospace, agriculture and general machine tool industries.

Established in 1946 and headquartered in Peapack, New Jersey, Komline provides and maintains tailored filtration and pollution control solutions for a diverse group of customers around the world, including municipal wastewater treatment facilities, waste-to-energy utilities, and industrial processing plants in end markets such as chemical manufacturing, food processing, and pharmaceuticals. Now, with the acquisition of Barnes, Komline will expand its filtration offerings to include those used by automotive, aerospace, and industrial products manufacturers. With these additional capabilities, Komline increases its ability to tackle its customers’ most difficult challenges in fluid and gas filtration.

“It was a great decision to choose XLCS. The whole team’s professionalism really made a difference,” said David Gollob, CEO of Barnes. “Having Bob Contaldo’s steady hand with his long years of experience helped guide us through what I have to believe was one of the more unique processes during a worldwide pandemic. I would highly recommend the XLCS team.”

The acquisition is expected to be the first of several that will significantly expand Komline’s product and service offerings, manufacturing capacity and geographic reach.

XLCS acted as the exclusive M&A advisor to Barnes and the transaction was led by Bob Contaldo, Managing Partner and Jay Cremer, Vice President. The transaction was completed March 17, 2021.

About XLCS Partners, Inc.
XLCS Partners is an investment banking firm providing M&A advisory services to select clients globally. More information is available at www.xlcspartners.com.