Realized Investment

Sweet Ovations was established in 1931. The company focuses primarily on the yogurt, bakery and ice cream industries. It also serves large clients in the food service industry and well-known dairy brands. Speyside purchased Sweet Ovations from Evonik Degussa, and held the company for seven years. In 2012, its sales and customer portfolio had been optimized, among other initiatives, through the integration of Golden West, and the profitability was consistently at a level three times greater than under previous ownership.

Integrated Acquisition

Golden West Fruit Company is a fruit preparation manufacturer with a legacy that spans more than 80 years. It is located in Commerce, California, with a distribution footprint across 11 of the Western United States. In May 2011, Sweet Ovations acquired Golden West Fruit Company.

Realized Investment

Speyside Equity acquired the Degussa Initiators Group in 2008 from Evonik, renaming the company United Initiators. Operating since 1911, United Initiators is a leading manufacturer of organic peroxides and persulfates, with operations in Germany, the US, China, and Australia. Since 2012, Speyside has shared the ownership of this company with Vision Capital.

Integrated Acquisition

Syrgis Performance Initiators (SPI) is a leading manufacturer of customer-tailored formulations of ketone peroxides in North America and Europe, and benzoyl peroxides in North America.  In July 2012, United Initiators acquired SPI from Syrgis Performance Products owned by Edgewater Capital Partners. The acquisition was a significant bolt–on acquisition for Vision Capital and Speyside Equity, and enabled United Initiators to expand its product range and geographic reach.

Platform Investment

Avon Gear designs and produces large, complex, precision parts for heavy-equipment industries in North America and beyond. The company collaboratively engineers and provides the part solution that maximizes long-term reliability, durability and overall cost effectiveness as a Tier 1 supplier to OEMs. Avon Gear Company was founded in 1974 and, in 2008, moved to its current 110,000-square-foot facility in Shelby Township, Michigan.

Integrated Acquisition

Plasma-Tec specializes in machining parts for the Oil & Gas industry, General Industrial, Construction, Power Generation and Food Processing industries. A precision supplier for rapid turnaround of machined wear components.

Howell Gear is a manufacturer that provides low-to-medium volume batch manufacturing for complex gear and shaft applications.

Platform Investment

Craftsman Custom Metals is a full-service provider of precision metal components and products, with expertise in optimized design, prototyping, manufacture and assembly capabilities. They support integrated supply chain management with design, cellular manufacturing, assembly and testing and painting and finishing.

Platform Investment

Hazleton Casting Company is a steel foundry specializing in alloy steel casting since the early 1900’s. The company has multiple induction furnaces, simulation software and in-house 3-D printing to provide customers with a range of technical capabilities and the ability to cast, machine, assemble and test large complex products.

Weatherly Casting and Machine Company, a sister company to Hazleton Casting Company, is an iron and iron alloy foundry specializing in very large castings. Weatherly provides machining services along with other value-add services such as laboratory and non-destructive testing.

Platform Investment

Founded 45 years ago and based in McAllen, Texas, Magic Valley produces predominantly Southern frozen (fresh or prepared) vegetables for distribution to major food outlets and institutional buyers throughout the United States. Magic Valley is an industry leader in handling unique produce such as okra, southern greens, black-eyed peas, and diced turnips. The company distributes both under its own food service labels and private label.

Platform Investment

Midland is a full-service provider of contract metal stampings and fabrications to major tier one manufacturers in automotive, appliance, industrial, trailer, and cookware industries. Midland’s products include complex and engineered stampings and fabrications as well as a series of highly specialized products, including polished cookware lids and trash and linen chutes. Midland has extensive manufacturing capabilities, including stamping presses, plasma cutting, laser cutting, turret presses, punch press, 3-axis vertical machining center, drill press, automated polishing and welding equipment.

Platform Investment

Opta Minerals is a vertically integrated provider of custom process solutions and industrial mineral products used primarily in the steel, foundry, loose abrasive cleaning, water-jet cutting and municipal water filtration industries. Opta Minerals has production and distribution facilities throughout Canada and the U.S., as well as locations in France, Slovakia and Germany.

Platform Investment

Pacific Steel, founded in 1934 and based in Berkeley, California, makes carbon, low-alloy and stainless steel castings for US and international customers, mainly for heavy-duty trucks, oil-drilling construction equipment, and other heavy industrial end-markets. The company currently employs 430 employees and generates close to $100 million (US) in revenue in three plants at the Berkeley site.

Platform Investment

Sawbrook Steel Castings LLC, founded in 1924 and based in Cincinnati, Ohio, produces low- carbon, low-alloy steel castings for numerous industries including military, mining, and construction. Sawbrook is capable of producing steel castings ranging from one pound up to 10,000 pounds of net casting weight.