Cleveland, OH and Boston, MA – MPE Partners (“MPE” or “Morgenthaler Private Equity”), along with portfolio company SKB Cases, LLC (“SKB”) of Orange, CA, announced the acquisition of NANUK Gear Protection Inc. (“NANUK” or the “Company”) of Terrebonne, Québec. NANUK is a provider of premium injection molded protective cases, delivering high-performance solutions for mission-critical equipment across a wide range of applications.
MPE and SKB plan to work alongside NANUK’s management team which will be led by General Manager, Canada & Europe at NANUK, Vincenzo Giorgio. John Saxon, SKB’s Executive Chairman and CEO, said, “NANUK has built a strong, differentiated brand that enhances SKB’s product portfolio while bringing new customers, geographies, and applications. We look forward to joining forces with NANUK’s talented team to drive the next phase of growth and success for the combined platform.”
Daniel Jewell, SKB’s President and CCO, added, “We have long regarded NANUK as a leading brand in the market and are excited to partner with our new colleagues. This combination positions us to better serve our valued customers.”
Brendan Newman, Principal at MPE, said, “We are thrilled about this partnership and believe SKB and NANUK are highly complementary businesses and a natural strategic fit. With the continued support of the SKB and NANUK teams, alongside MPE, the combined platform is well positioned to accelerate growth by unlocking meaningful commercial and operational opportunities.”
Vincenzo Giorgio, General Manager, Canada & Europe at NANUK, commented, “NANUK has built a strong organization with a loyal customer base and a dedicated team. This partnership with SKB represents an exciting next chapter of growth and further strengthens the Company’s ability to invest in and support the employees and customers at the heart of our success.”
Apogem Capital provided financing to support the transaction. Stikeman Elliott and Jones Day served as legal advisors for MPE Partners. PricewaterhouseCoopers Corporate Finance acted as the exclusive financial advisor to the shareholders of NANUK. BCF acted as legal advisor to the shareholders of NANUK. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
About NANUK
Headquartered in Terrebonne, Québec, with additional operations in Eelde, Netherlands, NANUK is a manufacturer of premium protective cases serving a range of end markets, including photo/video/drone, outdoor recreation, defense, industrial, and medical. The Company supports a global customer base across 50+ countries through highly engineered, durable, and customizable product offerings. NANUK leverages in-house design, engineering, and assembly capabilities to drive innovation, ensure consistent quality, and support scalable growth. For more information, please visit https://nanuk.com/.
About SKB Cases
Headquartered in Orange, CA, with an additional facility in Mexicali, Mexico, SKB is a manufacturer of specialty protective cases serving a diverse set of end markets, including military & industrial, music & pro AV, and sports. The Company serves a broad customer base of over 1,400 customers through a range of engineered and customizable product solutions. SKB leverages multiple manufacturing capabilities, including injection molding, rotational molding, and vacuum molding, to deliver high-quality and reliable products at scale. For more information, please visit https://www.skbcases.com/.
About MPE Partners
MPE Partners (“MPE”) seeks to be the preferred partner for entrepreneur- and family-owned companies. Based in Cleveland, OH and Boston, MA, MPE invests in profitable, lower middle market companies with EBITDA between $8 million and $40 million. MPE has two primary target investment areas: high-value manufacturing and commercial & industrial services. For more information, please visit www.mpepartners.com.