ATL Partners, a middle-market private equity firm focused on commercial aerospace, national security, and transportation and logistics, has acquired SkyMark Companies and Rampmaster and will combine the two businesses into a global specialty vehicle equipment platform serving aviation solutions, refueling, and ground support equipment (GSE) markets. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The transactions represent the first investments from ATL Fund III. SkyMark is a manufacturer of aircraft refueling trucks and hydrant dispensers as well as other transportation-related specialty vehicles, while Rampmaster designs and manufactures aircraft refueling solutions for commercial and general aviation customers.
Both companies will continue to operate under their existing brands, and their management teams will remain in place. Rampmaster’s executive team, led by CEO Leighton (Lee) Yohannan and owners Owen Watkins and Daniel Watkins, will retain key leadership roles, as will SkyMark co-founders Steven Paul, Doug Moskowitz, and Mike Ellis. ATL said both management teams will roll meaningful equity stakes into the combined company.
ATL plans to pursue growth by expanding product and service offerings, deepening customer relationships, and executing additional strategic acquisitions. The firm said it began focusing on the GSE market as a thematic investment opportunity roughly two years ago and expects to apply its sector expertise and operating partner network to scale the new platform.
Support: Harris Williams served as exclusive financial advisor and Morrison Foerster as legal advisor to ATL Partners. Baird was lead financial advisor and Jones Day legal advisor to SkyMark and its private equity owner, Sky Island Capital, with D.A. Davidson advising Sky Island Capital. Alantra served as financial advisor and Morgan Lewis as legal advisor to Rampmaster.
KEY QUOTES:
“We are excited to bring together SkyMark and Rampmaster, two highly complementary businesses with blue-chip customer bases and diversified end markets, to create a leading, scaled platform serving the aviation, environmental, rail, and specialty equipment sectors. We look forward to partnering with both SkyMark’s and Rampmaster’s management teams to drive growth by expanding the company’s product and service offerings, deepening customer relationships, and identifying and integrating highly strategic acquisitions.”
Caleb Clark, Senior Partner, ATL Partners
“I am excited by the opportunity to partner with ATL to lead SkyMark into its new phase of growth. Rampmaster has long been focused on producing some of the industry’s most reliable and serviceable aviation refueling solutions, and joining forces with SkyMark is a natural evolution of that mission. This combination brings together two storied businesses with deep engineering expertise, shared values and cultures, and unwavering commitments to quality and customer service. We are eager to leverage ATL’s sector expertise to accelerate growth and strengthen our position as a partner of choice for airports and aviation service providers globally.”
Steven Paul, Chief Executive Officer, SkyMark
“We are thrilled to join a scaled organization that will enable us to expand our reach, accelerate innovation, and bring our customized refueling solutions to more customers globally. Partnering with SkyMark and ATL strengthens Rampmaster’s ability to support our customers with the highest levels of reliability and service, while creating meaningful opportunities for our employees and stakeholders.”
Leighton (Lee) Yohannan, Chief Executive Officer, Rampmaster
