Dallas, Texas – January 19, 2022 – Sky Island Capital (“Sky Island”), a Dallas-based lower middle market private equity firm, is excited to announce that it has made a majority investment in SkyMark Refuelers, LLC and related company KC Tank, LLC (“SkyMark” or the “Company”) alongside the Company’s owners. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Kansas City with operations in Ohio, SkyMark is a market leading manufacturer of custom work trucks serving the aviation refueling, liquid waste removal, hi-rail maintenance, direct-to-locomotive refueling, and refined fuel delivery industries. In less than a decade, the Company has become a leader across multiple end markets thanks to its founders’ industry expertise and ability to attract a world-class leadership team.
“SkyMark exhibits the rare combination of having an experienced management team, exceptional market growth, and industry leading product quality, technology, and service, which makes this an exciting opportunity for Sky Island,” said Will Dobbs, a Sky Island Partner. “With the founding partners, Steven Paul, Doug Moskowitz, and Mike Ellis, still at the helm, our partnership and dedication to continued investment can take SkyMark to new heights as one of the premier specialized truck upfitters in North America.”
SkyMark serves blue chip and public company customers across each of its respective industries, including fixed based operators, fuel contractors, commercial airlines, portable restroom and septic operators, railroads, and railroad maintenance and service contractors. The Company is also a certified supplier of work trucks to U.S. federal, state, and local governments as well as the U.S. military. In addition to the U.S. and Canada, SkyMark trucks can be found in more than 40 countries with a strong presence in the Caribbean, Central and South America, and a growing presence in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.
“We are thrilled to partner with Sky Island to help guide SkyMark through its next phase of growth,” said Steven Paul, Chief Executive Officer and a founding member of SkyMark. “The Sky Island team recognized the strategic vision of our platform, and their expertise working with growing manufacturing companies will enable SkyMark to unlock its full potential. We believe Sky Island will make the perfect partner for our leadership team.”
SkyMark is Sky Island’s fourth platform investment in its inaugural fund.
About Sky Island Capital
Sky Island Capital (www.skyislandcap.com) is a lower middle market private equity firm based in Dallas, Texas that makes control investments in strategically viable North American manufacturing companies that exhibit transformational upside potential. Sky Island focuses on situations where it can draw upon its deep operational experience to support senior management in driving significant value creation through operational and strategic partnership, including add-on acquisitions. Sky Island is comfortable with and has a history of executing transactions with complex dynamics, including family-owned businesses, management buyouts, corporate carve-outs, public to privates, lender-controlled businesses, and other special situations.
About SkyMark Refuelers and KC Tank
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, Kansas and Findlay, Ohio.
FlowMark and 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.
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.
For more information, please contact Will Dobbs or visit the websites listed below:
Will Dobbs
Partner
