A release issued under the same headline on December 20th, 2024 by Blackford Capital has been revised with minor grammatical changes in the first and third paragraph, as well as an additional sentence at the end of the second paragraph that reads, "Mike Alexander is SFS's CEO and Founder, and Chris Alexander is President." The corrected release follows:
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Dec. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blackford Capital ("Blackford”), a leading lower middle market private equity firm, today announces the December 12 acquisition of Security Fire Systems ("SFS”), a leading provider of sprinkler design, engineering, and installation services located in Dallas-Fort Worth, launching Blackford Capital's Fire Safety Consolidation Platform and entering the fire safety and security space. The terms of the transaction are not being disclosed.
Founded in 1993, SFS is an industry leader in fire security and protection, offering a comprehensive line of products and services, including automatic fire sprinkler design services, fire sprinkler system installation, system testing, system maintenance and servicing, remodel & retrofits, fire alarms and emergency response. SFS is certified to provide services in Texas, Arkansas, Colorado, and Oklahoma throughout different customer bases and end markets, consisting of hospitality, healthcare, education, retail, aviation, government, residential and religious properties. Mike Alexander is SFS's CEO and Founder, and Chris Alexander is President.
"We are excited to welcome SFS as the first company in our Fire Safety Consolidation portfolio to enter the fast-growing fire safety and security space. Mike and SFS' longstanding management team bring extensive expertise and have demonstrated consistent growth at SFS over the past two decades,” said Martin Stein, Founder, and Managing Director of Blackford Capital. "The fire safety industry is currently fragmented across geographies and product/markets. We look forward to pursuing further add-on acquisitions to consolidate the industry's high-growth, high-margin segments and leverage natural synergies, such as servicing and maintenance for installation work.”
Following the acquisition, all members of SFS' management team and employees, including Mike and Chris Alexander, will remain with the company.
"We are thrilled to partner with Martin and Blackford Capital's seasoned Operating Partners to begin the next chapter of growth for SFS,” said Chris Alexander, President of SFS. "SFS has a bright future within the fire safety and security industry. We look forward to increasing our capabilities by offering more diversified services and expanding our solutions to a broader customer base through organic and acquisitive means.”
McGuireWoods and Varnum LLP served as legal counsel for Blackford Capital. Oak North Bank PLC provided financing for the acquisition. Plante Moran advised on financial and tax diligence.
About Blackford Capital
Founded in 2010, Blackford Capital is a private equity investment firm headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Blackford acquires, manages, and builds founder and family-owned, lower middle-market companies, with a focus on the manufacturing, industrial and distribution industries. Blackford has a track record of exceptional returns, a disciplined and relentless approach to value creation, and a focus on operational excellence and a compelling culture. In 2023 and 2024, Blackford Capital was named to Inc's list of Founder-Friendly Investors, was recognized by ACG Detroit with the 2023 M&A Dealmaker of the Year Award and awarded the 2023 Small Markets Deal of the Year award by both Buyouts Magazine and the Global M&A Network Atlas Awards. For more information, visit www.blackfordcapital.com.
About Security Fire Systems
Security Fire Systems is passionate about fire safety (i.e. "Life Safety”) - as SFS' expertise directly affects the lives of the people, businesses and communities we serve. Established in 1993, our success with general contractors and commercial building owners is based upon our continued quality, decades of service dependability, and for sprinkler systems that meet or exceed mandated building codes - typically passing inspection first time. Our team of designers, installers, field supervisors and technicians are highly certified with an average tenure of 10+ years. To learn more about the company, visit https://www.securityfiresystems.com/
Media Contact:
Jackson Lin
Lambert
(646) 717-4593
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8d3c1028-6f55-43fc-85d6-24387f9bb5c2
