After being owned by Robert Pritzker of Chicago for nearly 60 years, followed by a 9-year tenure with Sentinel Capital Partners, Colson Group, which includes long time manufacturer Shepherd Casters of St. Joseph, has been sold to a new private equity firm, Blue Wolf Capital Partners.
Colson Group has long been a worldwide leader in caster and wheel product solutions, and the team is excited that the stage is set for continued growth in that realm going forward thanks to the acquisition by Blue Wolf.
Tom Blashill, CEO of Colson Group, says, “We are excited to partner with Blue Wolf, a firm that shares our philosophies and vision for Colson Group,” and adds, “While our strong global brands and experienced team attracted substantial investor attention, Blue Wolf differentiated themselves. Their expertise and deep understanding of industrial businesses and customer channels will be a tremendous asset in our plans for operational and service excellence. Blue Wolf appreciates the work completed so far in our global transformation and their skillset and strategy will help accelerate it with further investments in domestic manufacturing, service technologies, and product solutions that continue to separate us from the competition.”
Shepherd Casters, anchored at 203 Kerth Street in the St. Joseph industrial park, has been in business for more than 55 years according to their website, and Colson group added a major distribution center at 2024 Hawthorne in St. Joe several years ago. Together, those units have around 150 employees in the St. Joe market.
Blue Wolf is a New York-based private equity firm that builds stronger businesses by combining financial and operational discipline with Environmental, Social, and Governance principles. The firm works closely with management to create value at companies in specialty sectors including niche manufacturing, industrial & engineering services, forest & building products and healthcare services.
Adam Blumenthal, Managing Partner of Blue Wolf Capital Partners, says, “Our experience building best-in-class industrial manufacturing companies positions Blue Wolf well to support Colson Group in accelerating growth and enhancing its current market position and manufacturing strategy,” while adding, “We are excited to partner with Tom Blashill and the Colson Group management team to provide the necessary capital and resources to drive long-term growth opportunities for the company and its customers. We look forward to building on Colson Group’s rich legacy of product solutions and long-standing business relationships with our commitment to organizational and operational excellence.”
Former owner Sentinel Capital Partners sold Colson Group to Blue Wolf after acquiring the company in 2012. Prior to Sentinel, the company was held by Robert Pritzker who acquired the Colson caster brand in 1953 and built it into the worldwide caster leader that is now Colson Group.
Colson Group, as a global leader in caster and wheel products, creates and drives solutions that move lives forward. Their world-renowned brands, like St. Joseph’s long-running Shepherd Casters, provide specialized mobility for every industry and market. A leading product portfolio and proprietary global value chain deliver unparalleled efficiencies and support. With more than 1,600 employees across 30 global facilities, Colson Group is committed to its customers’ success, ensuring proper products are selected or designed from the start, and always keeping the end-users’ safety, efficiency, and happiness in mind.
Blue Wolf Capital Partners LLC is a private equity firm that specializes in control investments in middle market companies. Leading by experience, and with a commitment to excellence, Blue Wolf transforms companies strategically, operationally and collaboratively. Blue Wolf manages challenging situations and complex relationships between business, customers, employees, unions, and regulators to build value for stakeholders. For additional information, you can visit http://www.bluewolfcapital.com.
