Gryphon Investors, a San Francisco-based middle-market private equity firm, has signed a definitive agreement to make a significant investment in Mechanix Wear, a leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance work gloves. Working alongside current owner and CEO Michael Hale, who will retain an ownership stake in the Company, Gryphon intends to build a leading platform in the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) sector. The transaction, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter, is subject to customary closing conditions. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Founded in 1991 by Jim Hale, Mechanix Wear is the leader in automotive, construction, industrial, and tactical hand protection. Mr. Hale's son Michael Hale, who joined the Company in 2005 and has been CEO since 2016, has overseen the Company's rapid growth and international expansion. A globally recognized brand, Mechanix Wear has a reputation for delivering consistent superior performance, quality, and reliability, and has gained a loyal and growing following of passionate consumers. Headquartered in Valencia, California, the Company sells its products in more than 20,000 retail store locations across more than 70 countries and through industrial distributors.
As part of the transaction, Jesse Spungin is joining Mechanix Wear as President and COO, succeeding current COO Bari Waalk, who will leave the Company in December after 30 years of service to pursue new opportunities. Mr. Spungin, who will be responsible for leading Sales, Marketing, and Operations globally, was most recently President at K&N Engineering, the industry leader in automotive filtration and technology and a previous Gryphon portfolio investment.
Keith Stimson, Partner and Head of the Consumer Products and Services Group at Gryphon, said, "Our investment in Mechanix Wear continues Gryphon's long-time successful activity of supporting enthusiast and active lifestyle brands. Mechanix Wear is an authentic brand stemming from its NASCAR heritage beginning almost 30 years ago, and has built a large, loyal user base. We're excited to partner with the Company as we build the business together to its next stage in its evolution as the market leader in hand protection."
Gryphon Consumer Products and Services Group Operating Partner Dennis O'Brien added, "Michael Hale and his management team have built a work glove brand that workers and consumers around the world associate with innovation, quality, and operational excellence, and we intend to help them build on that promise. Gryphon's investment will enable the Company to accelerate organic growth and drive best in sector product innovation, while maintaining the highest attention to serving its customers and consumers."
"We're pleased to partner with Gryphon, which has a long track record of helping family-owned companies successfully grow their businesses," said Mr. Hale. "With the support of Gryphon's deep operational resources and our new President and COO, we look to capitalize on Mechanix Wear's leadership position and strong brand to accelerate growth across channels, including retail, e-commerce, industrial, and federal, as well as geographies, including North America, Asia, and Europe."
"Hand protection is an important and growing need in the modern economy, and Mechanix Wear is the most coveted brand with a long-standing leading market position at the high end of the market, where demand is growing fastest," said Ryan Fagan, Senior Vice President at Gryphon. "We look forward to working with Michael, Jesse, and the rest of the management team to support the Company's organic growth and to identify attractive acquisitions to grow the platform."
