Gordon Brothers, the global advisory and investment firm, in a joint venture with Nations Capital Inc., an asset management and advisory firm, has completed the purchase of substantially all the assets of H2 Brands Group, a leading national consumer products company with annual sales in excess of $250 million and a portfolio of nationally recognized brands, including Comfort Zone®, Shur-Line®, Helping Hand® and Bulldog® Hardware.
The acquisition includes the inventory, accounts receivable, intellectual property, and machinery and distribution equipment of H2 Brands Group, allowing for continued operations and retention of many employees, including Chief Commercial Officer Ken Weiss and core members of the sales team.
“We executed a multi‐asset investment strategy and leveraged our many areas of asset expertise to purchase and continue operations of these legacy brands,” said Robert Himmel, Senior Managing Director, Head of North America Commercial & Industrial at Gordon Brothers. “Our holistic approach, deep asset expertise and rapid decision making let us step into this transition to provide a complete solution that ensured the value of the business remained intact.”
“This transaction highlights our expertise in complicated deal structures,” said Jim Lightburn, Co-Founder and President of Nations Capital. “Our teams’ unique ability to react quickly and truly understand the underlying value of the business, while also providing a comprehensive equity solution, allowed us to keep the key business functions operational and retain key employees.”
In a related transaction, the joint venture has recently completed the sale of the Shur-Line® and WordLock® range of products to True Value Company, an ACON Investments portfolio company. Many of the Shur-Line® division employees will join True Value Company as part of the sale.
Gordon Brothers leverages decades of experience buying, selling, operating and valuing assets in the industrial economy across Australia, Brazil, Canada, the U.K. and Europe, Japan and the U.S.
About Gordon Brothers
Since 1903, Gordon Brothers (www.gordonbrothers.com) has helped lenders, management teams, advisors and investors move forward through change. The firm brings a powerful combination of expertise and capital to clients, developing customized solutions on an integrated or standalone basis across four services areas: valuations, dispositions, financing and investment. Whether to fuel growth or facilitate strategic consolidation, Gordon Brothers partners with companies in the retail, commercial and industrial sectors to provide maximum liquidity, put assets to their highest and best use and mitigate liabilities. The firm conducts more than $100 billion worth of dispositions and appraisals annually and provides both short- and long-term capital to clients undergoing transformation. Gordon Brothers lends against and invests in brands, real estate, inventory, receivables, machinery, equipment and other assets, both together and individually, to provide clients liquidity solutions beyond its market-leading disposition and appraisal services. The firm is headquartered in Boston, with over 30 offices across five continents.
About Nations Capital
Nations Capital is a strategic partner to companies and clients across a wide range of commercial and industrial sectors, with a particular focus and expertise in finance, restructuring, and insolvency. The firm provides capital, advisory services and infrastructure to guide clients through change and growth.
About H2 Brands Group
H2 Brands Group is a leading national consumer products company with a portfolio of nationally recognized brands, all under one roof. The company comprises approximately 19 brands with over 12,000 products representing 31 categories – from fans to faucets to flashlights and so much more. It has a distribution footprint of over 1 million square feet across North America and 16 countries in its global sourcing network, enabling the company to provide customers with innovative home and hardware products as well as top-notch customer service. The company has the expertise and assortment to customize the best programs for any retailer, whether it’s big box, mass chain store, wholesaler, eRetailer or local independent hardware store. Core categories include paint sundries, hardware, home environment and plumbing products. Owned brands include: PXpro™ (paint sundry); Bulldog®, Guard® Security, Ultra Hardware™ (hardware, locksets & security); Comfort Zone® (home environment); Bright-Way® (electrical supplies); Helping Hand (housewares); AquaPlumb® (plumbing) and Road & Home. H2 Brands Group is proud to build on the heritage and legacy of its brands by bringing innovation and value into every room of your home. For more information, visit http://www.h2bgroup.com.