DLA Piper Advises CM Equity Partners and GracoRoberts in Acquisition of Sky Mart

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DLA Piper advised GracoRoberts and its private equity sponsor CM Equity Partners (CMEP) in the company’s acquisition of Sky Mart, a leading aerospace chemical and specialty distributor.

The acquisition significantly bolsters GracoRoberts’ reach into the US$6.5 billion Latin American Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) market and scales its Aircraft on Ground (AOG) capability, offering its customers access to its in-stock lubricants and enabling GracoRoberts’ position as a leading technologically-focused aerospace specialty chemicals distributor.

“In DLA Piper, we found genuine collaboration and a team whose grounded perspective and constant presence were indispensable,” stated CMEP’s Managing Partner Jeffrey Mark. “They played a vital role in ensuring this transaction was structured and executed effectively to get us across the finish line."

“The acquisition of Sky Mart represents a pivotal milestone in GracoRoberts’ strategy to expand its reach across the Western Hemisphere,” said Jeffrey Houle, Chair of DLA Piper’s Aerospace, Defense, and Government Services Transactional practice. “Guiding CMEP through the complexities of this deal further demonstrates the firm’s deep capabilities in scaling private equity-backed leaders within the global aerospace logistics sector.”

Alongside Houle (Washington, DC), the DLA Piper team included Partners Thomas Pilkerton, Jordan Bailowitz (both Baltimore), Jason Juall, and Jimmy Russert (both Atlanta); Of Counsel Brad Jorgensen (Austin); Senior Attorney Cara Hupprich (Northern, VA); Attorney Lawson Hayes (Atlanta), Law Clerk Arisa Hishikawa (Atlanta); and Associates Paul Nolle (Short Hills), Jessica Jackson (Atlanta), Doug Lavey, and Traneke Hamrick (both Washington, DC).

For more information about CMEP, please visit the company website at www.cmequity.com.

For more information about GracoRoberts, please visit the company website at www.gracoroberts.com.

With more than 1,000 corporate lawyers globally, DLA Piper helps clients execute complex transactions seamlessly while supporting clients across all stages of development. The firm has been rated number one in global M&A volume for 16 consecutive years by Mergermarket and ranked number one in VC, PE, and M&A in combined global deal volume by PitchBook.

DLA Piper’s Aerospace and Defense practice offers a multidisciplinary international team with deep experience across the defense contracting lifecycle, from bid preparation and regulatory compliance to contract performance and dispute resolution. Our integrated team of government contracts specialists and corporate attorneys adeptly manage complex transactions — including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships — essential for success in this rigorously regulated sector. Drawing upon extensive experience with federal acquisition regulations and national security mandates, we provide comprehensive legal counsel that safeguards compliance while facilitating clients’ strategic growth within the aerospace and defense industry.

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