Ferche Millwork, Inc.
Rice, Minnesota and Mount Pleasant, Tennessee
Gerald L. Grider, President
Ferche Millwork is the largest manufacturer of oak moldings in North America. Product lines include casings, jambs, cabinet parts, railings, balusters, stair parts and veneers. Ferche is a vertically integrated company with manufacturing facilities augmented by a lumber drying and sorting facility.
Materials Marketing Corporation
San Antonio, Texas
Tim Roberts, President
Materials Marketing Corporation is America’s oldest, largest and only fully integrated manufacturer of hand-carved architectural and dimensional stone products. The company, which owns and operates showrooms in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio, TX; Atlanta, GA; Denver, CO; Chicago, Hinsdale and Vernon Hills, IL; Pasadena, Redondo Beach and Newport Beach, CA., sells its extensive product line to custom homebuilders, architects and designers.
Occidental Leather
Sonoma County, California
Peter A. Rosenquist, President
Founded in 1980, Occidental has set the quality standard in the tool belt industry and has earned the reputation of having no equal. Leveraging almost 40 years of field-testing, the company uses only the best materials available. Dedicated to superior solutions through quality tool bag designs, Occidental’s products are used by framing carpenters, finish carpenters and electricians, mostly working in the residential housing industry. Customers prefer Occidental for its durability, comfort and functionality – and because the company remains dedicated to its “Made in the USA” mandate.
Read about Occidental Leather in The Leather Retailers’ and Manufacturers’ Journal
Steamist
Rutherford, New Jersey
Jeffrey Noll, President
Steamist has a rich 50-year history of manufacturing steam bath products for the commercial and residential markets. The well-recognized Steamist product line is carried by leading distributors, retailers and wholesalers of plumbing products throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.
U.S. Tape
Pennsburg, Pennsylvania
Peter A. Rosenquist, President
U.S. Tape, founded in 1876, manufactures and distributes high-quality contractor-grade tape measures and specialty tools, which incorporate several patented and proprietary features to provide superior durability and utility. The company’s products are available under the Stringliner, Spencer™, DuraWheel, DuraMark, Rhino, Centerpoint®, U.S. Tape brand names and, on a private-label basis, in home centers, hardware and value stores and industrial catalogs nationwide.
Former holdings
Bestt Liebco Corporation
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
Bestt Liebco manufactures quality paintbrushes, rollers and accessories, which are distributed nationally through specialty paint stores and home centers.
Purdy Corporation Portland, Oregon Purdy Corporation produces the world’s finest handcrafted painting tools and accessories, which are distributed nationally and internationally through specialty paint stores, hardware stores and home centers. A majority interest in the Paint Sundries Group was sold to Bessemer Holdings in August 1998.
The entire business unit was sold to Sherwin Williams in August 2004.
Campania International
Pennsburg, Pennsylvania
Glenn Appel, President
Campania is a manufacturer and distributor of cast stone, polyethylene and terracotta garden décor, including planters, bird baths, benches, fountains and more. The company sells its exclusive collection directly to garden centers, nurseries, mail order catalogs and other retailers.
Innovative Technology Electronics
Port Washington, NY
Scott Hagen, CEO
Innovative Technology Electronics markets a collection of branded and distinctive consumer electronics that can be found in over 20,000 retail stores throughout North America. The company designs, develops and markets high style, high quality, feature-rich consumer electronics at affordable retail prices.
Priority Bicycles
New York, New York
David Weiner, President
Priority Bicycles manufactures and sells award-winning bicycles for cruising, commuting and for kids. The company was founded on a vision to create a hassle-free, everyday bike for recreational riders that would be affordable and low maintenance. Their wide range of products are easy to buy, assemble and ride – sold exclusively online and backed by expert customer service offered 365 days a year. The company also offers a full line of lightweight, rust resistant, and customizable fleet bicycles for guests at leading inns and resorts in the US and around the world.
Spellbinders
Phoenix, Arizona
Greg Tipsord, CEO
Spellbinders is a world-wide leader in the arts and crafts industry. The company is focused on the paper crafting segment and is best known for its line of paper-cutting dies, folders, roller machines and mixed media products. Along with Journey Blooms, a multi-level marketing company that focuses exclusively on the arts and crafts industry, the company combines innovative technology with world class creative inspiration to help unlock the inner creativity of all paper crafting consumers.
Former holdings
Cool Gear International
Plymouth, Massachusetts
Cool Gear is a leading designer and manufacturer of innovative hydration bottles and food storage containers which feature patented, embedded freezer gel elements that keep drinks and food cold. The company sells its products to big-box retailers, drug store chains, supermarkets and gift stores in 15 countries around the world.
Sold to Acon Investments, December 2014.
Club Colors
Schaumberg, Illinois
Club Colors sells value-added, resort-style apparel and promotional products to leading corporations throughout the United States for marketing and incentive uses. Club Colors has an extensive line of custom manufactured, logo sportswear and specialties. The company offers customized print and on-line catalogs, custom embroidery and imprinting, program reporting, warehousing and fulfillment.
Sold to CID Capital, July 2007.
Smartwool Corporation
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Smartwool manufactures high-performance merino wool socks and other apparel products marketed under the Smartwool® name. Smartwool products are designed for specific athletic and other outdoor activities.
Sold to The Timberland Company in December 2005.
Big Sky Carvers
Bozeman, Montana
Big Sky Carvers, Inc. is a designer and manufacturer of nature-themed gift items, including wood sculptures of ducks, fish and bears and whimsical plush and resin gifts featuring wildlife creatures. Big Sky Carvers sells primarily to specialty gift retailers, tourist attractions, national park gift stores, mass merchants and outdoor equipment and apparel retailers and catalogues.
Sold to Montana Silversmiths, Inc., June 2005.
GEOTECHNICAL / ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
Earth Tech
Land O’Lakes, Florida
Ron Broadrick, CEO
Earth Tech, headquartered in Land O’ Lakes, Florida, is an industry- leading soil remediation firm. The company is a multi-generational business completing over 3,000 residential and commercial projects throughout the Southeast United States since 1991. Earth Tech’s technical expertise and services include cement and chemical grouting, steel underpinning and vibro-compaction to remedy loose soils in the earth.
Geo-Solutions, Inc.
New Kensington, Pennsylvania
Bob Schindler, CEO
Geo-Solutions is a leading provider of highly specialized geotechnical services to the global environmental and civil engineering industries. The company’s environmentally friendly services and technologies assist engineers, consultants, contractors and site owners by providing cost-effective and practical solutions for difficult soil and groundwater problems. Examples include the use of slurry walls, biopolymer drains and in situ soil mixing to remedy contaminated sites, leaky dams/levees and soft ground conditions.
Bar-Plate Manufacturing Co., Inc.
Woodbridge, Connecticut
Brian Garrity, President
Bar-Plate designs, manufactures and distributes a wide range of products for the box making, die making, die cutting and printing industries.
Former holdings
Disston Precision, Inc.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Founded in 1865, Disston Precision manufactures highly specialized flat steel products, including valve discs and other replacement parts for compressors and pumps, industrial saw blades for cutting all types of ferrous and non-ferrous metals and press plates for finishing fiber, plastic and rubber products.
Sold to private entrepreneur, December 2013.
HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Freedom Medical
Exton, Pennsylvaina
Mike Boylan, CEO
Freedom Medical is a leading provider of biomedical rental equipment and related outsourced support services to hospitals and long-term care centers throughout the U.S. The company’s biomedical equipment offerings include critical care equipment, respiratory therapy equipment, patient monitoring equipment, newborn care equipment and specialty beds. Through its nationwide branch network Freedom Medical is able to provide a broad product offering, outstanding support services and competitive pricing to its valued customer base.
Technical Gas Products
Wallingford, Connecticut
Joseph Smith, CEO
Technical Gas Products specializes in a full range of respiratory solutions, primarily to sub-acute, rehabilitation, and convalescent facilities throughout the Midwestern and Northeastern United States. The company’s services include providing on-site respiratory therapists, pulmonary care, portable oxygen equipment, service and preventive maintenance, clinical education and the delivery of USP-grade liquid oxygen through our proprietary micro-bulk O2 Safe system.
PUBLIC SAFETY/DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY
Blue Line Innovations
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Mark Hutchinson, CEO
Founded by former law enforcement officer Mark Hutchinson, Blue Line Innovations offers the industry’s first and only fully integrated “360° Situational Awareness System” platform. This patented design ensures better transparency by securely capturing, uploading and storing a complete 360° view of an event. The company’s intuitive and proprietary evidence management software service complements its camera offerings across various public safety platforms. Blue Line proudly outfits police and military personnel utilizing revolutionary technology for all body worn, in-dash car, helmet, K-9 and fixed surveillance camera needs.
MILSPRAY Military Technologies
Lakewood, New Jersey
Liz Shivers, CEO/President
MILSPRAY is an accomplished defense company specializing in high performance and special purpose military coatings and RESET services. The company offers products and services that protect the war-fighter and his/her tactical vehicles, aircraft, cutters and boats, along with field deployable RESET facilities and personnel.
Pine Environmental Services, Inc.
Windsor, New Jersey
Angelo Pinheiro, President
The company leases and sells air and water monitors, soil gas analyzers, etc. and supplies to environmental consulting and engineering firms, contractors, government agencies, colleges, etc. Pine services its customers through 10 locations – eight domestic and two Canadian.
Former holdings
Weldship Corporation
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Gainesville, Texas
Weldship Corporation, with facilities in Bethlehem, PA and Gainesville, TX, supplies tube trailers, gas assemblies and CO2 transports to industrial gas manufacturers, their independent distributors and specialty chemical producers. Products are available for lease and sale. Complete retest and rehab capabilities are available at both locations.
Sold to Markel Corporation, October 2011.