MSD to invest in East West Manufacturing

MSD is investing in East West Manufacturing, an Atlanta-based engineering and manufacturing services company. No financial terms were disclosed.

PRESS RELEASE

ATLANTA, GA – February 1, 2022 – East West Manufacturing, LLC announced today that MSD Partners, L.P. is investing in the company in partnership with management. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 2001, East West provides a comprehensive and integrated set of product realization capabilities to a leading and high-growth customer base. With U.S. operations in Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Texas, and international operations in Canada, Costa Rica, Vietnam, China India, and Mexico, East West utilizes a global design team, transparent supply chain, on-site quality control, and flexible logistics systems to provide its customers with superior products and competitive cost advantages. East West addresses the full spectrum of needs of SMB and enterprise customers in high-growth end markets, such as automation / robotics, industrial technology, fitness / medical, and smart devices / IoT. Key capabilities include:

Product Design and Engineering – including initial product design, advanced product engineering, and ongoing engineering services
Manufacturing – including outsourced product and component manufacturing and assembly on behalf of OEMs
Supply Chain Management – including third-party logistics solutions, such as inventory management, reverse logistics, and order fulfillment

The investment from MSD Partners will support East West’s strategy to continue to extend its end-to-end capabilities – from rapid prototyping and R&D, to collective design, manufacturing, and supply chain solutions. Over the past four years, the company has completed nine acquisitions, principally in North America. Going forward, the company will be evaluating acquisition opportunities to build upon or otherwise establish new capabilities to support customers, from product inception to full-scale production on a global basis.

Scott Ellyson, East West’s CEO and Co-Founder, said, “It’s been an honor to go through this process with the MSD team and we couldn’t be more excited about the partnership. Their expertise and capital will only help to accelerate our already impressive growth. We have a shared interest in developing and manufacturing innovative products that improve our lives. Through this new partnership, we will continue to rapidly expand our capabilities globally to best support our customers. I am also so appreciative and proud of the East West team. We’ve all worked hard to get to this point and are thrilled and committed to a future with MSD.”

“East West is a perfect fit with MSD Partners’ strategy of investing behind talented management teams and founder-led companies that are stable, high growth, and well-positioned in attractive markets,” said Kevin Brown, Head of MSD Private Capital.
“Scott, Jeff, and team have built a remarkable business. We were honored to be chosen as their partner and are excited to support them in the next phase of East West’s continued success,” said Chris Bertrand, a Managing Director in MSD Private Capital.

The East West management team will remain significant owners in the company and will continue to lead the business following MSD’s investment. In connection with the transaction, Emigrant Capital Corporation and Heritage Growth Partners LLC will be exiting their investments.

East West and its existing shareholders were advised by Baird and Squire Patton Boggs. MSD Partners was advised by KeyBanc Capital Markets and Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

About East West Manufacturing, LLC
Based in Atlanta, Georgia, East West provides a comprehensive and integrated set of product realization capabilities to a leading and high-growth customer base. With U.S. operations in Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Texas, and international operations in Canada, Costa Rica, Vietnam, China, India, and Mexico, the Company utilizes a global design team, transparent supply chain, on-site quality control, and flexible logistics systems to provide its customers with superior products and competitive cost advantages. Founded in 2001, East West offers its customers a differentiated breadth of onshore, nearshore, and offshore design, engineering, manufacturing, and distribution capabilities to serve the full spectrum of customer needs ranging from new product design to full scale production and distribution.