– Investcorp, a leading global alternative investment firm, has acquired Guardian Fire Services (“Guardian”) from Northern Lakes Capital.
– Guardian’s management team will remain meaningful shareholders as part of the transaction.
– Guardian is headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., and operates 17 branches across the Southeast, Northeast, and Western U.S.
– The company provides fire protection and life safety services to commercial, industrial, healthcare, and educational markets.
– Services offered include inspection, testing, maintenance, and installation of fire suppression systems, fire alarms, and emergency lighting systems.
– Investcorp has been tracking the fire safety sector for several years and was impressed by Guardian’s operational excellence, growth rate, and customer commitment.
– Amit Gaind, Senior Managing Director of North America Private Equity at Investcorp, said: “We have been tracking the fire safety sector for several years, and Guardian has been on our radar for some time.”
– Rajiv Sheth , Managing Director at Investcorp, added: “What impressed us about Guardian is how thoughtfully they’ve built scale. The strength of the business comes from its branch leadership, strong technician base and dedicated employees that are the backbone of this business.”
– Guardian has completed 12 acquisitions since 2022 while maintaining high customer and technician retention.
– The company operates in a large, fragmented, and resilient market driven by compliance mandates and the critical nature of fire safety services.
– Ray Misfeldt, CEO of Guardian Fire Services, said: “ We’re grateful to the Northern Lakes Capital team for their partnership in building Guardian into the company it is today, and we’re excited about our next chapter with Investcorp.”
– Joel Grebenick, Partner at Northern Lakes Capital, said: “Ray and his team have built an exceptional business with a clear competitive advantage in their industry and the markets they serve.
– This investment aligns with Investcorp’s strategy of supporting middle-market service businesses in North America to accelerate growth.
