High Bar Brands announced Wednesday its strategic recapitalization with Sentinel Capital Partners, effective Dec. 19. High Bar Brands was previously owned by Heartwood Partners.
Minnesota-based High Bar Brands is a leading supplier of truck and trailer components and solutions to the heavy-duty aftermarket dealers and distributors, parts distribution centers and OEM across North America, Central America, and South America. The company was formed as a holding company following the acquisition of the iconic Minimizer brand by Heartwood Partners in August 2018 and the acquisition of Premier Manufacturing in January 2020. Subsequent acquisitions of Viking Sales in August 2022 and Dieters Accessories and Panelite in May 2023 solidified High Bar Brand's dominant position in the heavy-duty aftermarket.
Sentinel, a premier New York-based alternative asset manager, specializing in middle-market private equity, acquires High Bar from Heartwood Partners. Focusing on management buyouts, acquisitions of family businesses, corporate divestitures, and industry consolidations, Sentinel targets investments in high-quality middle-market companies in the United States and Canada. With this approach, Sentinel Partners has raised over $11.2 billion in capital since its inception, with Sentinel having an established track record of helping companies grow through access to the critical resources growing businesses need, the company says.
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"We truly enjoyed the past five years with Heartwood Partners, as the Heartwood team did exactly what they said they would do by providing direction and support for the company's successful growth, both organically and through acquisitions," says Christopher P. Thorpe, president and CEO of High Bar Brands. "We are also looking forward to the next step in our journey with Sentinel, a very reputable firm with almost 30 years of private equity experience, who are aligned with our strategic goals. Over the next few years, High Bar Brands, with Sentinel as its partner, will continue to grow by adding value to our loyal customers through product line expansion and geographic reach that will expand our customer base and market share significantly in the heavy-duty trucking market."
Mark Allsteadt, managing partner at Heartwood Partners, commends the successful partnership with High Bar over the past five years, expressing pride in High Bar's excellence and exceptional management team. Allsteadt looks forward to observing the continued growth trajectory under Thorpe's leadership.
And James Coady, partner at Sentinel Partners, conveys excitement about partnering with High Bar Brands in their next phase of expansion.
"High Bar Brands is an incredible company with an exciting story. We're thrilled to partner with them on their next phase of expansion by providing the resources and guidance necessary to elevate the company to the next level," he says.
