Truelink Capital has reached a definitive agreement to acquire SouthernCarlson from Kyocera Corporation. This move adds another significant platform to the Los Angeles-based private equity firm’s growing portfolio of industrials and business services. The financial terms were not disclosed, but the acquisition represents Truelink’s tenth platform investment since its founding in 2022.
SouthernCarlson was established in 1947 and has evolved into a large-scale distributor and service provider for construction and industrial fasteners, tools, packaging, and supplies across North America. The company is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, and serves more than 50,000 professional customers through a network of 115 local stores and 8 national distribution centers. Its inventory exceeds 67,000 SKUs and is supported by a global supplier ecosystem that enables the company to serve as a one-stop shop for operators across the commercial, industrial, single-family, multifamily, and dealer channels. Kyocera originally acquired SouthernCarlson in 2019.
Truelink stated that it plans to support the company’s next stage as an independent business by advancing commercial and operational initiatives and pursuing strategic M&A. The firm highlighted SouthernCarlson’s long track record of reliability, customer loyalty, and category leadership as key factors behind the investment.
Truelink Capital focuses on middle market companies in the industrials and business services sectors, partnering with management teams, founders, and corporate sellers to scale operations and pursue transformative add-on acquisitions. SouthernCarlson’s management expects the new ownership structure to accelerate strategic growth and maintain the company’s commitments to service delivery and operational excellence.
KEY QUOTES:
“This transaction marks an exciting new chapter for SouthernCarlson. We are grateful for Kyocera’s support and ownership over the last 6 years, during which time we have achieved strong growth, including expanding into new customer segments. We are now excited to partner with Truelink and accelerate the achievement of our strategic vision as we transition into an independent company. With Truelink’s support, we look forward to building on our legacy of operational excellence, best-in-class customer service, and proven reliability.”
Andrei Militaru, President and CEO, SouthernCarlson
“SouthernCarlson is a highly respected brand with significant scale and a strong history of performance, reliability, and customer trust. We are honored to have signed this transaction with Kyocera and are excited to invest behind this outstanding company and tenured management team. We look forward to closing this transaction and supporting SouthernCarlson’s next phase of growth through a combination of driving commercial and operational initiatives and executing strategic M&A.”
Todd Golditch, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Truelink Capital
