Dallas, Texas – May 18, 2023 – 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 Bruder Tank, Inc. (“Bruder” or “the Company”). Headquartered in Sullivan, Illinois, Bruder is a leading manufacturer of custom stainless steel and aluminum tanks for commercial and industrial use. The Company’s tanks are primarily put in service on work trucks for use in the aircraft refueling, wastewater removal, and refined fuel delivery industries.
“Bruder is an excellent strategic fit for SkyMark. Bruder’s founder, Josh Bernius, and his team have built an impressive business that has consistently delivered the highest quality products. We know this from first-hand experience as customers. Bruder’s expertise within the refueler and wastewater industries aligns perfectly with SkyMark’s core end markets, and the acquisition will play an essential role in our growth strategy, helping us to secure steady tank supply,” remarked Steven Paul, Chief Executive Officer of SkyMark.
Josh Bernius further commented, “After partnering with SkyMark for multiple years as a tank supplier, we are excited to further solidify our relationship through this transaction. In terms of both culture and strategic vision, I am confident SkyMark is the right home for Bruder. We get the best of both worlds – solidifying a long-term future for Bruder in Sullivan, while working alongside a world-class organization in SkyMark.”
Bruder 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 both stainless steel and aluminum 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 70 employees across three facilities.
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, Missouri 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 website listed below:
Will Dobbs
Partner
[email protected]
