RED WING, MN — Capital Safety, a leading manufacturer of fall protection equipment under the DBI-SALA, UNILINE and PROTECTA brands, announces its acquisition by KKR, a leading global investment firm, from Arle Capital Partners, which had owned the company since mid-2007. KKR has signed an agreement to pay $1.12 billion for the company, with transfer occurring in January 2012, subject to mandatory regulatory approvals.
Under its previous owner over the past 4.5 years, Capital Safety doubled its revenues through a commitment to aggressive research and development, which led to the launch of innovative products such as ExoFit NEX and i-Safe RFID equipment management system, enhanced its global supply chain and expanded into emerging markets for fall protection equipment. It also successfully executed five strategic acquisitions in Australia, Columbia, France and the U.K. to broaden its offerings for customers worldwide.
"Strong interest in our company is confirmation of our strategic direction and testament to the most experienced team of fall protection experts in the world," said Anders Pettersson, Capital Safety Group CEO. "Without them, we could not have countered the global economic stresses and served a record number of customers with a record number of products."
Pettersson adds that KKR's intent is to continue to strategically invest in Capital Safety's position as the world leader in supplying fall protection solutions and expects continued expansion for the company, both in terms of products and markets served.
