D.A. Davidson Serves as Exclusive Financial Advisor to Aerospace Engineering Corp. in its Partnership with Trive Capital and AMRO to Create Karman Missile & Space Systems

COSTA MESA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--D.A. Davidson & Co. announced today that it served as exclusive financial advisor to Aerospace Engineering Corp. (AEC), a national leader in manufacturing specialized launch and flight hardware solutions for deep space, astronautics and defense industries. AEC, in its partnership with Trive Capital, a private equity firm, and AMRO Fabricating Corporation, have newly created Karman Missile & Space Systems, one of the largest independent “pure play” suppliers focused on manufacturing complex and exacting systems for the space, missile, interceptor and hypersonic markets.

AEC specializes in providing critical flight hardware and complex aerostructures in support of the space, advanced defense and aeronautics end markets. AEC has a 35-year-plus lineage with a well-known reputation for offering a wide range of specialty engineering and manufacturing services from its 85,000-sq.ft, three-building facility in Brea, Calif. The company’s customers are blue-chip original equipment manufacturer and Tier 1 companies.

“A pure play missile and space supply chain company is a rare breed. As part of Karman, AEC forms an exceptional, industry-leading pairing creating a uniquely focused space-centric powerhouse,” said Paul Weisbrich, Managing Director and leader of Aerospace, Defense and Space investment banking at D.A. Davidson. “This transaction sets the stage for a disciplined, dedicated space supply chain and an incredibly strong source of space-ready solutions. D.A. Davidson could not be more pleased to have been part of arranging one of the cornerstones of Karman Missile & Space Systems.”

The formation of Karman creates a unique and comprehensive set of capabilities dedicated to the space sector, allowing Karman to handle end-to-end manufacturing of tight tolerance and ruggedized sub-assemblies on current and next-generation launch vehicles, missiles and hypersonics. Karman is diversified across every major platform and prime in the Space segment. Karman operates three centers in greater Los Angeles, a historical and key source for space and missile design and manufacturing. Karman also maintains a presence in Washington, D.C. and Huntsville, Alabama, the newly announced headquarter for the U.S. Space Force.

This transaction highlights the continued success of D.A. Davidson’s Diversified Industrials practice and its focus on aerospace, defense and space, further demonstrating the firm's position as a leading advisor in this sector.

D.A. Davidson’s investment banking division is a leading full-service investment bank that offers comprehensive financial advisory and capital markets expertise. The group has extensive transaction experience serving middle market clients worldwide across five industry verticals: consumer, diversified industrials, financial institutions, real estate and technology.

Together with its European strategic partner, MCF Corporate Finance, D.A. Davidson originates and executes transatlantic M&A transactions under the common brand of D.A. Davidson MCF International.

About D.A. Davidson Companies

D.A. Davidson Companies is an employee-owned financial services firm offering a range of financial services and advice to individuals, corporations, institutions, and municipalities nationwide. Founded in 1935 and headquartered in Montana, with corporate offices in Denver, Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle, the company has approximately 1,400 employees and offices in 27 states.

Subsidiaries include: D.A. Davidson & Co., the largest full-service investment firm headquartered in the Northwest, providing wealth management, investment banking, equity and fixed income capital markets services and advice; Davidson Investment Advisors, a professional asset management firm; D.A. Davidson Trust Company, a trust and wealth management company; and Davidson Fixed Income Management, a registered investment adviser providing fixed income portfolio and advisory services.

For more information, visit dadavidson.com.