XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce it served as exclusive advisor to White Distribution & Supply, LLC (WDS), a portfolio company of Slate Capital Group, in its sale to AFC Industries (AFC), a portfolio company of Bertram Capital.

Founded in 1984 and based in Muscatine, Iowa, WDS provides a broad range of products, inventory management, and LEAN solutions to customers who are themselves leaders in their respective markets. The company supplies production fasteners, packaging, adhesives, safety products, production consumables, MRO items, and more for their customers with 12 nationwide locations.

XLCS represented WDS in 2016 in its acquisition by Slate Capital Group, a private equity investment group based in Baltimore, Nashville, and Cincinnati, that partners with lower-middle market companies.

Headquartered in Fairfield, Ohio, AFC Industries is a dynamic organization dedicated to providing supply chain management solutions on small components and tooling for a diverse base of manufacturers and assemblers across a broad range of industries. Through its experienced team and global resources, AFC excels at making customer manufacturing and assembly processes more efficient and cost-effective.

“This is our third completed transaction with XLCS,” shared Erik Ginsberg, Slate Capital Group Managing Partner. “We chose them to advise us on WDS due to their deep expertise in the fastener industry coupled with their well-executed process from start to finish. We are thrilled at the outcome.”

XLCS acted as the exclusive M&A advisor to WDS, and the transaction was led by Anthony Contaldo, Partner and Matt Crabtree, Senior Associate. The transaction was completed June 1, 2023.

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.

XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce it served as advisor to Trilon Group, a family of infrastructure consulting businesses backed by Alpine Investors, on its strategic growth partnership with Fehr Graham.

Founded in 1973, Fehr Graham is an Illinois-based leading provider of engineering and environmental consulting services to public and private entities throughout the Midwest. The partnership gives Fehr Graham additional capital and resources to expand its services and better serve clients.

Fehr Graham selected Trilon Group, which is backed by people-driven equity firm Alpine Investors, because of the company’s vision to build the next Top 20 design firm in North America. Trilon is doing that by bringing together the nation’s best infrastructure consulting firms like Fehr Graham. Trilon will support Fehr Graham to accelerate the growth and careers of its employees with additional investment in talent, technology, and targeted mergers and acquisitions.

Within Trilon, Fehr Graham will play a critical role in expanding the capabilities and reach of Trilon Midwest, which focuses on environmental, transportation, water, and community infrastructure projects.

In January 2022, XLCS represented Trilon Group in its first platform, Waggoner Engineering.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Fehr Graham and complete another transaction with Anthony Contaldo and the XLCS team,” shared Patrick Eble of Alpine Investors. “Anthony and team are not only a pleasure to work with but have also been critical to the successes of both Trilon Group and Alpine Investors. We highly value people at our organization and Anthony rises to the top of the list of the highest quality individuals we’ve interacted with in this industry. We look forward to the continued partnership.”

The transaction was completed on May 15, 2023, and was led by Anthony Contaldo, Partner of XLCS.

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.

XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce that it served as exclusive advisor to Associated Aircraft Manufacturing & Sales, Inc. (AAMSI) in its sale to First Aviation Services Inc. (First Aviation).

Founded in 1953, AAMSI manufactures a variety of aircraft parts and provides repair and overhaul services for aircraft electronics, avionics, hydraulic and landing gear components. AAMSI has a proven track record supporting the global defense industry, including both United States and foreign militaries, as well as several of the industry’s largest OEMs. AAMSI holds over 120 manufacturing and repair source approvals from the U.S. Department of Defense. The company is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

First Aviation, headquartered in Westport, Connecticut, is a leading provider of aircraft parts manufacturing, component repair and overhaul, and rotables management to the aviation industry worldwide. First Aviation’s principal operating subsidiaries are: Aerospace Turbine Rotables, Inc., Associated Aircraft Manufacturing & Sales, Inc., Aviation Blade Services, Inc., Evōlution Aerospace, Inc., Master Support, Inc., Heliblade International, LLC, and Piedmont Propulsion Systems, LLC. Together, the companies repair and overhaul aircraft landing gear systems, helicopter rotor blades, actuation systems, structures, IFF systems, lighting, power supplies, oxygen and fire suppression systems, hydrostatic testing, crew masks, and all Dowty, Hamilton, Hartzell, and McCauley propellers.

“It was a pleasure to work with both the AAMSI and First Aviation teams on a seamless transaction,” stated Joe Contaldo, Partner and Head of XLCS’ Aerospace & Defense Practice Group. “Our firm continues to move deeper and deeper into the defense and government sector and this transaction aligns perfectly with our mission.”

XLCS acted as the exclusive M&A advisor to AAMSI and the transaction was led by Joe Contaldo, Partner and Eric Schoendorf, Senior Associate. The transaction was completed on November 22, 2022.

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.

XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce it served as advisor to Trilon Group, an engineering services platform of Alpine Investors, in its partnership with Waggoner Engineering.

Waggoner Engineering, a Mississippi-based engineering services firm, is Trilon’s first platform partnership and will continue to operate independently under the Waggoner brand. Waggoner, founded in 1976, is a civil engineering firm with a passion for helping communities realize their full potential. Today, Waggoner has expanded to 12 offices in five states and is recognized for its innovative, multi-disciplinary services that make it much more than a traditional engineering firm. Waggoner CEO, Emad Al-Turk, will remain President and CEO of Waggoner and will join the Trilon Executive Committee.

Trilon was formed with the vision of building the next Top 20 design firm in North America by partnering with a comprehensive family of infrastructure consulting firms focused on delivering practical and sustainable infrastructure solutions. Trilon will partner with like-minded infrastructure consulting firms across the nation and aims to accelerate their growth through investment in talent, technology, and targeted M&A. Trilon’s key markets include Transportation, Water, Energy, Environment, and Community Infrastructure.

San Francisco, California based Alpine Investors plans to invest additional equity capital to fund the organic and inorganic growth of Trilon. In partnership with Alpine’s in-house talent program, Trilon will focus on cultivating a culture that provides opportunities for its employees to quickly expand their purposeful careers.

“Waggoner is the Trilon Group’s first partnership and we couldn’t be more excited to have such a high-quality firm provide the backbone for launching our platform,” said Patrick Eble of Alpine. “Our strategy is to attract quality firms to join the Trilon family by providing real opportunities for them to grow their businesses and the careers of their staff. Partnering with great firms like Waggoner allows us to achieve our goal of being the next top 20 design firm in North America in the coming years.”

The transaction was completed on January 26, 2022 and was led by Anthony Contaldo, Partner of XLCS.

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.

XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce that it served as exclusive advisor to Burrow’s Post Frame Supply (Burrow’s), a portfolio company of Woodlawn Partners, in its sale to Morton Buildings, Inc. (MBI).

Headquartered in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma, Burrow’s is a comprehensive estimating, material supply, and logistics solution provider to builders of barns and other post-frame buildings. A sole-source supplier of both materials and logistics services, Burrow’s offers custom-manufactured wood trusses, roll-formed metal roofing and siding, mill-direct pricing, and a staff of knowledgeable coordinators. Woodlawn Partners, a Chicago, Illinois, based private equity firm, acquired the company in 2011.

Founded in 1903, MBI is the largest post-frame company in the United States and a prominent builder in the equestrian barn market. In 2017, after over 113 years as a family-owned company, MBI transitioned to 100% employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), providing a stable, long-term plan for the company, and ensuring the longevity of an iconic brand in the industry.

XLCS acted as the exclusive M&A advisor to Burrow’s and the transaction was led by Joe Contaldo, Partner and Johnny Sebastian, Analyst. The transaction was completed on September 30, 2022.

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.

XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce it served as exclusive advisor to Component Sourcing International (CSI), a portfolio company of Argosy Capital, in its sale to CPC, LLC.

Founded in 1982, CSI is a supply chain-as-a-service provider focused on global sourcing and supply chain management of OEM and aftermarket components for industrials, equipment, construction, and other sectors. After Argosy’s purchase of the company in 2011, it assisted CSI with hires in its global sourcing department, upgrading facilities and systems infrastructure, and with sales and marketing improvements and initiatives. The Charlotte, North Carolina, based company will continue to be led by its current management team, many of whom continue as owners.

CPC is a Kansas City, Missouri, based private equity company focused on buying, building, and holding businesses long-term. CSI is the second acquisition for CPC.

“XLCS Partners did an outstanding job in finding a great home for CSI with CPC,” said Don Charlton, Partner Argosy Private Equity and former Chairman of CSI. “Anthony Contaldo and his team had an in-depth understanding of CSI’s industry and were enthusiastic about its value proposition to OEM’s seeking a global sourcing and supply chain solutions partner with over 40 years’ experience.”

XLCS acted as the exclusive M&A advisor to CSI and the transaction was led by Anthony Contaldo, Partner and Matt Crabtree, Associate. The transaction was completed August 31, 2022.

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.

XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce it served as exclusive advisor to Tower Fasteners (Tower) in its sale to All Integrated Solutions (AIS), a subsidiary of MSC Industrial Supply Co. (NYSE:MSM).

Tower is a second-generation value-added distributor of OEM fasteners and other components to a diverse set of industrial, medical equipment, aerospace, military, electronics, and security/fire & safety sectors. Founded in 1967, the company operates eight distribution centers along the East Coast and in the Southwestern regions of the United States, Mexico, and Europe. In 2018, Tower opened its first European distribution center in Dublin, Ireland. Tower will continue to operate under its current name after becoming an MSC company.  Mark Shannon, President of Tower, will continue to lead the business, which has approximately 100 associates.

MSC’s acquisition of Tower, made through its AIS subsidiary, expands the company’s presence in the OEM fastener market, which it entered in 2018 with the acquisition of AIS, a leading value-added distributor of industrial fasteners and components, MRO supplies and assembly tools based in Wisconsin. Similarly, MSC will extend Tower’s production fastener solutions to its manufacturing customers. Founded in 1941, MSC is a leading North American distributor of a broad range of metalworking and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products and services. As a $3.2 billion company with more than 6,500 associates and 3,000-plus suppliers, MSC helps its customers drive greater productivity, profitability and growth with approximately 2 million products, inventory management and other supply chain solutions.

“We could not have been more pleased with the job XLCS Partners did advising us during the sale of our business,” said Bryan Shannon, Tower CEO. “From the introductory call with Anthony Contaldo to the final closing call, every person who worked with us was professional, thorough, and pleasant. This was our first experience in the M&A world and Anthony and his team guided us every step of the way. XLCS was the perfect advisory firm for the Shannon family.”

XLCS acted as the exclusive M&A advisor to Tower and the transaction was led by Anthony Contaldo, Managing Partner and Jay Cremer, Vice President. The transaction was completed August 1, 2022.

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.

XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce that it served as exclusive advisor to Sentry Aerospace Corporation in its merger with Aerospares 2000 Limited, an Acorn Growth Company.

Based in Morganville, New Jersey, Sentry is a leading global aftermarket supplier of commercial aircraft spare parts covering a full range of AOG components, including avionics, escape slides, life rafts, and ram air turbines for all major commercial aviation platforms. Sentry was founded in 1975 by Tony DiSimone, Sr. who will serve as Executive Chairman of the combined company.

Headquartered in Greater London, England, Aerospares specializes in identifying, procuring, and stocking the most demanded and hard-to-find rotables for the latest generation aircraft platforms, with a focus on minimum equipment list parts that are ready to ship 24/7.

The combination of Aerospares and Sentry creates a leading independent stocking distributor of high value, hard-to-find commercial aircraft rotable components with global reach and some of the broadest and deepest customer and vendor relationships in the industry. Further, the company has tremendous financial flexibility and access to capital to support its customers’ aircraft material needs as the global aviation market continues its strong recovery.

Acorn Growth Companies, based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a middle market private equity firm investing exclusively in Aerospace, Defense, Intelligence, and Space opportunities. Acorn invests solely in businesses that enhance global mobility and strengthen national security. This transaction represents Acorn’s first investment in its recently raised fifth investment fund.

“We were extremely impressed with the guidance provided to us by Joe Contaldo and the XLCS team throughout each phase of the process,” said Chris DiSimone, Sentry CFO. “His desire to understand our personal goals, along with knowledge of our business and the key players in the aerospace industry, were vital to the success of this deal. Joe was there every step of the way and we truly believe found the perfect fit in Aerospares 2000.”

“Sentry and Aerospares together are a powerful combination and we are very excited to see what the future holds,” said Joe Contaldo, Partner and Head of XLCS’ Aerospace & Defense Practice Group. “We are also very grateful to the DiSimone family for letting us play a small role in the great history of Sentry Aerospace.”

XLCS acted as the exclusive M&A advisor to Sentry and the transaction was led by Joe Contaldo. The transaction was completed on June 30, 2022.

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.