Capitol Meridian Partners and Stellex Capital Management have completed their carve-out acquisition of Beaufort, the aerospace and defense survival equipment division of Survitec, establishing Beaufort as an independent survival technologies platform backed by long-term private equity investment.
Beaufort, headquartered in Ellesmere Port, U.K., designs and manufactures mission-critical survival equipment for defense customers across air, land, and sea applications, including the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.K. Ministry of Defence, defense prime contractors, and other allied militaries. The business is known for its work in Aircrew Equipment Assemblies (AEA) for advanced military aviation platforms, with a focus on pilot protection, performance, and life-support integration.
The company’s product portfolio spans flight jackets, anti-G trousers, liferafts, submarine escape systems, immersion suits, and other survival equipment. Beaufort employs roughly 1,200 people globally and operates manufacturing and service facilities across the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Australia.
As part of the transaction, defense industry veteran Raanan Horowitz was named chair of Beaufort’s board, while Dom Cartwright will continue as chief executive officer. The new owners said they expect to support Beaufort’s growth through portfolio expansion, operational investment, and potential strategic acquisitions.
Support: Evercore served as exclusive financial advisor and Latham & Watkins LLP served as legal counsel to Capitol Meridian and Stellex. Adams Street Partners arranged the debt financing. Financial terms were not disclosed.
KEY QUOTES:
“As we begin this next chapter with Capitol Meridian and Stellex, Beaufort gains partners with deep experience in aerospace and defense, global reach, and a long-term investment approach. Their support will allow us to build on our strong reputation, expand our capabilities and continue innovating in support of the hardworking warfighters who rely on our products every day, while strengthening Beaufort’s role as a trusted long-term partner to allied defense forces and OEMs worldwide.”
Dom Cartwright, Chief Executive Officer, Beaufort
“Beaufort epitomizes our strategy of investing in essential aerospace and defense platforms. We expect to support Beaufort’s next phase of growth through portfolio expansion, operational investment, and strategic acquisitions.”
Adam Palmer, Founding Partner, Capitol Meridian Partners; Karthik Achar, Partner, Stellex Capital Management
“I am honored to join Dom and his leadership team as we embark on leveraging Beaufort’s decades of survival-technology development and manufacturing, expanding its global business and solidifying its position as a premier provider of mission-critical, lifesaving solutions for the most demanding applications.”
Raanan Horowitz, Chair, Beaufort Board of Directors
