Dallas, Texas – March 25, 2025 – Sky Island Capital (“Sky Island”), a Dallas-based lower middle market private equity firm, is pleased to announce that its portfolio company, SkyMark Refuelers, LLC (“SkyMark”), has acquired Becker and Associates Inc. (“Becker”). Established in 1967 and based in East Dundee, Illinois, Becker is a supplier of primarily aviation and ground fueling equipment and accessories. The company offers a comprehensive range of products, including industry-leading nozzles, filtration equipment, couplers, and hydrant valves, among other parts and accessories.
“The partnership with Becker positions SkyMark to become a key supplier of critical aftermarket parts to a variety of industries. Mike Kramer (President and Owner of Becker) and his team have built an exceptional reputation as the go-to provider for aviation and ground fueling equipment, consistently delivering the highest quality products and service. The Becker team’s expertise and strong relationships with several key equipment manufacturers will play an essential role in the growth of our burgeoning parts division” said Steven Paul, Chief Executive Officer of SkyMark.
Mike Kramer commented, “After knowing the SkyMark team for years, we are excited to solidify our relationship with the company through this transaction. I firmly believe SkyMark’s culture and strategic vision align perfectly with Becker, making it the right home for the business and its employees. As part of the broader SkyMark organization, we will have ready access to the resources we need to continue our momentum.”
Becker has a storied history of almost 60 years serving blue chip customers across the United States, sourcing and distributing a wide array of aftermarket accessories and parts, including hydraulics equipment, filters, cartridges, hose reels, couplers, separators, fittings, nozzles, and pumps, primarily serving the aviation and ground fueling industries. The Company also serves the natural gas, oil, and chemical processing industries with its industrial filtration product suite. The Company sources its products from strategic relationships with the top aftermarket parts OEMs in the industry and sells to both private and government customers.
About Sky Island Capital
Sky Island Capital (www.skyislandcap.com) is a lower middle market private equity firm headquartered in Dallas, Texas that focuses exclusively on partnering with privately held manufacturing companies in North America. Sky Island was born out of the desire to work alongside entrepreneurs and family business owners to serve as a resource and strategic partner with one goal in mind – growth. Sky Island focuses on situations where it can draw upon its deep operational and management experience to support senior management in driving significant value creation through operational and strategic partnership.
Sky Island is currently investing out of its second fund and is actively looking for new manufacturing partnerships.
About SkyMark Refuelers
SkyMark Refuelers is the thought leader in designing and building the most technologically advanced aircraft refueling vehicles in the world, with equipment in service at airports across more than 40 countries. SkyMark serves the who’s who of fixed base operators, refueling contractors, military contractors, and commercial airports throughout North America and maintains strategic partnerships in Asia, the Middle East, and Central America. The SkyMark team of skilled and experienced aviation professionals are based at production facilities in Kansas City, Missouri and Findlay, Ohio.
FlowMark / KC Tank is the nation’s largest source of vacuum tanks, chassis, and complete vacuum trucks for liquid waste removal. FlowMark manufactures vacuum trucks for portable restroom operators, septic service companies, carwash pit cleaners, oilfield service companies, grease trap operations, and airport pit cleaning operations. KC Tank manufactures vacuum tanks for use in FlowMark trucks and for sale to external customers. Trucks are fully engineered to work seamlessly with their operators and are backed by industry-leading warranties.
Bruder Tank serves customers across the United States, designing, manufacturing, and distributing a wide array of tanks including portable restroom service tanks, septic service tanks, and aviation refueling tanks, as well as tank trailers, slide-in tanks, refined fuel tanks, agricultural-use tanks, and water tanks. The Company has the versatility and expertise to manufacture stainless steel, aluminum, and carbon steel tanks, and is a registered DoT cargo tank manufacturer, ASME authorized manufacturer of pressure vessels, and a national board-certified R Stamp repair facility. Bruder was founded in 2014 and has more than 120 employees across three facilities.
RailTrucks specializes in designing and building a lineup of specialized hi-rail trucks and direct-to-locomotive refueling trucks for customers in the rail industry, including Class I, II, and III railroads as well as large railroad maintenance and service contractors. RailTrucks was formed in late 2020 and benefits from SkyMark’s existing experience in industry specific truck building and upfitting operations.
Refined Fuel is a leading manufacturer and provider of fuel transportation and dispensing solutions for a variety of industries, including residential and commercial heating, vehicle and equipment fueling, construction site fueling, among others. Refined fuel trucks transport a variety of refined fuel types including gasoline, diesel, and other petroleum-based products. The business segment was formed in early 2023 and constitutes SkyMark’s newest product launch.
For more information, please contact Will Dobbs or visit the website listed below:
Will Dobbs
Partner
