Wynnchurch Capital Acquires ORS Nasco from One Equity Partners

ROSEMONT, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wynnchurch Capital, L.P. (“Wynnchurch”), announced today that it has acquired ORS Nasco (“ORS” or the “Company”) from One Equity Partners.

ORS Nasco is North America’s largest pure wholesaler of industrial MRO supplies selling to distributors throughout North America. ORS Nasco has a broad product portfolio with over 190,000 SKUs across safety, hand tools, chemicals, welding, abrasives, adhesives and other MRO product categories. ORS’s long-standing relationships with blue-chip suppliers provide critical solutions for customers across a variety of industrial end markets.

Kevin Short, CEO of ORS Nasco, said, “We are committed to providing our diverse customer base with access to industry leading brands and superior service and are excited to partner with Wynnchurch as we continue our next phase of growth. Wynnchurch understands the strong value proposition we provide, and we believe together we can continue to transform the industrial wholesale market.”

Greg Gleason, Managing Partner at Wynnchurch, stated, “As a market leader in industrial MRO wholesale distribution, ORS’s customer-centric focus on delivering best-in-class service in a growing portion of the industry aligns well with our investment philosophy. We are excited to carve ORS out as a standalone platform and partner with Kevin and the management team with the resources to drive significant growth.”

Kevin Hanley, Principal at Wynnchurch, added, “The Management team at ORS Nasco has done a remarkable job growing the Company into the largest pure-play wholesaler of industrial supplies in the country. ORS is uniquely positioned to capture share as OEMs look to consolidate their supply chains and leverage wholesale distribution as a key channel partner. We look forward to working with the ORS Nasco leadership team as the Company continues to execute on exciting organic initiatives and strategic M&A.”

Foley & Lardner LLP acted as legal advisor to Wynnchurch.

Wynnchurch manages a number of private equity funds with $9.2 billion of regulatory assets under management and is actively seeking investments. In June, Wynnchurch acquired Hydraulic Technologies a manufacturer of high-pressure hydraulic tools and equipment. Other recent investments include: Reagent, a leading distributor of hydrochloric acid in North America; Handgards, a leading distributor of foodservice products, including disposable gloves, reclosable bags, tabletop items, expendables, and other carryout products; and FloWorks, a distributor of critical flow control products.

About ORS Nasco:

ORS Nasco is a leading wholesaler of industrial MRO products serving customers across the U.S., Canada and the Middle East with ~190k SKUs sourced from over 250 OEMs. The Company operates across 13 distribution locations and services distributors focused on industrial end markets. For more information, please visit: www.orsnasco.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

About Wynnchurch Capital:

Wynnchurch Capital, L.P., headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois, with an affiliate in Canada, was founded in 1999 and is a leading middle-market private equity investment firm. Wynnchurch’s strategy is to partner with middle market companies in the United States and Canada that possess the potential for substantial growth and profit improvement. Wynnchurch manages a number of private equity funds with $9.2 billion of regulatory assets under management and specializes in recapitalizations, growth capital, management buyouts, corporate carve-outs, and restructurings. For more information, please visit: www.wynnchurch.com or follow us on LinkedIn.