Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL), a leading middle market investment bank, announced the sale of Auburn Gear, Inc. to North River Capital, LLC. Located in Auburn, Indiana, Auburn Gear is a leading designer and manufacturer of custom engineered wheel drives, axle drive components, and specialty drives for diverse mobile equipment applications and automobiles. The transaction represents another successful engagement for BGL's Industrials practice. The specific terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Through its expansive product portfolio of planetary gearboxes, electric drive systems, driveline systems, and differentials, Auburn Gear offers more than 120 base product models covering over 3,200 applications that transfer power and torque to wheels, axles, booms, augers, winches, and platforms. Auburn provides custom engineered solutions to the agriculture, construction, aerial work platform, mining, military and defense, and other mobile equipment markets. The company has established a reputation for market leading design and delivery times, outstanding customer service, and unsurpassed quality. The business was purchased from the George Callas family and President, R. Martin "Marty" Palmer. Marty will continue in his role, as will the complement of the executive team.
George Callas commented that, "This transaction represents an excellent outcome for our family, customers, and employees. North River Capital will be a strong partner to build on Auburn Gear's proven track record of product innovation and profitable growth." George continued, "BGL's keen understanding of the highly engineered solutions we develop and end markets we serve, coupled with their global capabilities, drove value at each stage of the process."
Bodman PLC served as legal advisor to Auburn Gear and Barrett & McNagny LLP served as legal advisor to North River Capital.
Brown Gibbons Lang & Company is a leading independent investment bank serving the middle market. BGL specializes in mergers and acquisitions advisory services, debt and equity placements, financial restructuring advice, and valuations and fairness opinions, with global industry teams in Consumer Products & Retail Services, Energy & Environmental Services, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Human Capital Management Outsourcing, Industrials, Metals & Metals Processing, Plastics & Packaging, and Real Estate. BGL has offices in Chicago and Cleveland and real estate offices in Newport Beach, San Antonio, and Tampa, in addition to Global M&A partner offices in more than 50 countries across five continents.