Merrill Technologies Near Saginaw Acquired by Arlington Capital

Charter Capital Partners, a Grand Rapids-based investment bank, has announced its client, Merrill Technologies Group in Merrill, west of Saginaw, was acquired by Arlington Capital Partners, a Washington, D.C.-area private equity firm.
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Merrill Technologies machine
Merrill Technologies Group in Merrill, west of Saginaw, was acquired by Arlington Capital Partners. // Photo courtesy of Merrill

Charter Capital Partners, a Grand Rapids-based investment bank, has announced its client, Merrill Technologies Group in Merrill, west of Saginaw, was acquired by Arlington Capital Partners, a Washington, D.C.-area private equity firm.

The transaction was led by Charter team members Mike Brown, partner and managing director; Zach Wiersma, vice president; A.J. Ebels, vice president; and Keegan Ensing, analyst. Financial details were not disclosed.

Merrill Technologies Group is a manufacturer of large metal parts and structures. It provides design, engineering, machining, fabrication, and integration solutions for defense, aerospace, and industrial markets.

The company was founded in 1968 by Gary and Mary Kay Yackel and was most recently owned and operated by Bob and Jeff Yackel.

“I’m extremely proud of this outcome and very happy for both the owners and the management team,” says Brown. “They have partnered with an outstanding sponsor. Charter has been an advisor to Merrill for more than 10 years, so we were able to witness firsthand the evolution of the company into a truly world-class defense manufacturer.”

In conjunction with the Merrill acquisition, Arlington formed Keel Holdings, a new company established to be a supplier of fabricated structures for priority programs within the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, and U.S. Air Force.

The company was formed through the combination of the existing Arlington portfolio company Pegasus Steel and the newly completed acquisitions of Metal Trades Inc. in South Carolina and Merrill Technologies Group.

“The Merrill team has built a fully differentiated business through design, machining, fabrication, and integration of large, fabricated metal structures and is a leader in the defense industry,” says Wiersma. “We’re thankful to the Yackels and the entire Merrill team for trusting us on this important transaction.”