Clearlake Capital Group has completed its acquisition of Qualus Corporation from New Mountain Capital, establishing Clearlake as the new owner of a pure-play, end-to-end electric power solutions platform positioned at the forefront of power infrastructure transformation in the United States and Canada. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Qualus serves a blue-chip customer base comprising the nation’s largest investor-owned utilities as well as commercial, industrial, and high-tech clients, delivering an integrated suite of advisory, engineering, technical program management, digital solutions, energy efficiency, and specialized field services across the full infrastructure lifecycle.
Qualus is anchored by deep power expertise and is designed to help customers modernize the grid, manage increasing system complexity, invest in grid resiliency, and meet rising electricity demand driven by the electrification of the economy. The company’s capabilities span boutique advisory and planning, engineering, digital solutions, program management, energy efficiency, and specialized field services, and it develops breakthrough solutions for critical power industry challenges including distributed and variable resource integration, emergency management, and secure data exchange. Qualus also provides software and technology-enabled services, positioning it across both the consulting and technology layers of the power sector.
Clearlake is a leading global alternative asset manager founded in 2006 with over $185 billion in assets under management, offering private equity, credit, infrastructure, secondaries, co-investments, and other private market strategies. The firm seeks to partner with experienced management teams by providing patient, long-term capital across multiple sectors, and drives value through its active operating approach — known as O.P.S., for Operations, People, and Strategy — which combines operational expertise with strategic and talent-focused initiatives. The acquisition of Qualus aligns with Clearlake’s focus on essential services businesses benefiting from durable, long-term demand tailwinds.
New Mountain Capital, which managed Qualus prior to the sale, is a New York-based investment firm that emphasizes business-building and growth across private equity, strategic equity, credit, and net-lease real estate funds, with approximately $60 billion in assets under management. AEC Advisors served as lead financial advisor to Qualus and New Mountain Capital, with Harris Williams as co-financial advisor. Goldman Sachs, Houlihan Lokey, Perella Weinberg Partners, and Stifel served as financial advisors to Clearlake. Apollo, Goldman Sachs Alternatives, and Clearlake acted as joint lead arrangers on the financing.
KEY QUOTE:
“Qualus is a pure-play power solutions platform at the forefront of power infrastructure transformation, with differentiated capabilities across grid modernization, resiliency, security, and sustainability.”
Clearlake Capital Group
