Capewell Components Company—parent of toolmaker Ripley—has been acquired by CapitalWorks LLC. Sperry, Mitchell and Company, which initiated the transaction, assisted in negotiations and served as financial advisor to Capewell in the deal, announced the acquisition on February 3.
Ripley, which designs and manufactures cable-preparation tools for markets including datacom and telecom, is one of three divisions of Capewell Components Company. The others are the Capewell division, which designs and manufactures systems for the aerospace and defense industry, and the M.H. Rhodes Cramer division, which designs and manufactures electrical and mechanical timers and motors for commercial and industrial applications.
Combined, the three divisions of Capewell Components offer more than 2,800 branded products.
CapitalWorks LLC is a private-equity firm “focused on investing in well-run profitable lower middle-market companies,” the announcement said. “The firm provides management teams with the capital and support needed to grow their businesses.”
When asked if the acquisition might bring changes to the sales channel or operations of the Ripley division, Tom Pogacnik, a director with Sperry, Mitchell and Company, stated, "CapitalWorks plans on keeping the Ripley business as is. Obviously, they will look to grow Ripley and make it even better.
"CapitalWorks is excited about the future of Ripley," he added. "They believe there is room to grow Ripley through expanding its geographic territories, as well as introducing new products."
Capewell had been a portfolio company of Meriwether Capital LLC, “a private equity investment firm based in New York City backed by members of the Rockefeller family,” the announcement said. “Capewell Components Company had been owned by Meriwether since 1981.” Capewell acquired Ripley in 1990.