HKW sells RST Instruments to Vance Street Capital

U.S. private equity firm Hammond, Kennedy, Whitney & Co has sold RST Instruments Ltd, a Maple Ridge, British Columbia-based maker and marketer of geotechnical measurement instruments. No financial terms were released for the deal, which will see the company go to Vance Street Capital, a U.S. private equity firm. Founded in 1977, RST serves a wide range of end markets, including utilities, mining, infrastructure and oil and gas. It was acquired by HKW in 2014. RST CEO Bruce Ripley said his company effectively doubled in size during HKW’s period of ownership. In a separate release, Vance Capital said it will support RST’s continued organic and acquisition-led growth.

PRESS RELEASE

Hammond, Kennedy, Whitney & Company, Inc. Announces Sale of R.S.T Instruments, Ltd.

Indianapolis, IN – Hammond, Kennedy, Whitney & Company, Inc. (“HKW”) is pleased to announce that on August 31, 2017 it closed on the sale of R.S.T Instruments, Ltd. (“RST”). RST, headquartered in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, is a manufacturer and marketer of geotechnical measurement instruments, which serve a wide variety of end markets including utilities, mining, infrastructure and oil and gas. The Company’s products, which include inclinometers, data loggers, and vibrating wire, provide critical information for a variety of customers worldwide. For further information on RST, please visit www.rstinstruments.com.

The buyer is Vance Street Capital LLC, based in Los Angeles, California.

“HKW was a perfect fit for RST,” said Bruce Ripley, RST CEO. “Their collaborative approach, commitment to growth, and strategic vision facilitated our ability to essentially double in size over our three-year partnership.”

“RST is a prime example of the type of company we seek out,” said Jeff Wood, HKW Senior Partner and former Chairman of the RST Board. “RST is a niche market leader with world class product development and manufacturing abilities. These attributes, together with a seasoned and hard-working management team, made for a rewarding partnership.”

John Carsello, HKW Partner added, “Bruce Ripley and the entire RST team drove exceptional operational improvements over our investment horizon. Management executed strategic initiatives, which included adding a UK office and a salesforce expansion, flawlessly. We had a great partnership with RST and the Company is well positioned for continued growth.”

About HKW – HKW is a private equity firm founded in 1903 with offices in Indianapolis and New York. Since 1982, HKW has sponsored 54 platform transactions of lower middle-market companies throughout North America, as well as 61 add-on acquisitions. For further information on HKW, please visit www.hkwinc.com.

RST’s financial advisor was Quarton International (“Quarton”), an investment bank based in Detroit, Michigan. Further information about Quarton is available at www.quartoninternational.com.

Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP (“Taft”) served as legal advisor to RST. For further information on Taft, please visit www.taftlaw.com.

Contact: James C. Snyder
jcs@hkwinc.com
September 7, 2017

Photo courtesy of RST Instruments Ltd