Lower middle market private equity firm
Emko Capital
- HeadquartersArdmore, PA S5
- Founded2017 S2
- Websiteemkocapital.com
- Last verifiedNovember 6, 2026
At a glance
| EBITDA range | Up to $10M S2 |
|---|---|
| Revenue range | $10M to $100M S2 |
| Deal types | Platform, Add-on S3 |
| Geography | North America S5 |
| Sectors | Industrial & Manufacturing |
What Emko Capital buys
Emko Capital is a lower middle market investor with offices in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, and Charlotte, North Carolina, founded in 2017 by former operators and engineers. It buys manufacturers and technical services companies in industrial technology and aerospace and defense, with roughly $10 million to $100 million of revenue and up to $10 million of EBITDA. Family-owned businesses, succession situations and corporate carve-outs are its focus, and it favors engineered products that customers find hard to replace.
It buys a platform and then builds on it. Its five platforms are Solestra Group (aerospace machining), SMX Industrial Solutions (metal fabrication equipment), Davlyn Group (high-temperature textiles), Artistry in Motion and Pangolin (special effects) and 613 Originals (custom products). It invests through Emko Industrial Fund I, with co-investors where useful; a March 2023 SEC filing showed $26.1 million sold toward a $60 million offering. It publishes no check size. A smaller shop is most likely to meet Emko as an add-on: five of its last six deals were.
Recent deals
Announced in the 24 months before November 6, 2026.
| Date | Company | Type | Sector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2026 | Flutter FETTIConfetti maker in Largo, Florida, added to Artistry In Motion; keeps its own brand | Add-on | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Jun 2026 | Pangolin Laser SystemsRecapitalized and merged with portfolio company Artistry In Motion, with Graham Sports & Entertainment Partners as partner; stakes not disclosed | Platform | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Apr 2026 | AerofabAnaheim aerostructures manufacturer added to Solestra Group's West Coast hub | Add-on | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Jul 2025 | LHM TechnologiesLanding gear component supplier near Toronto; Solestra Group's largest acquisition to date | Add-on | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Apr 2025 | Preston EastinTulsa maker of robotic and welding positioners added to SMX Industrial Solutions | Add-on | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Feb 2025 | NEK ManufacturingMedical implant machining specialist added to EF Precision Group, as AEFP Group took the Solestra Group name | Add-on | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
Portfolio by sector
From the firm's portfolio page S3.
Aerospace & Defense
- Solestra Group
Entertainment
- Pangolin & Artistry in Motion
Industrial
- SMX Industrial Solutions
- Davlyn Group
- 613 Originals
Greymont’s take
How Emko Capital fits a seller
Emko suits the owner of a small engineered manufacturer, especially a family business with a succession question or a corporation selling a division. It promises that owners deal with partners and not analysts, that the name and team stay, and that a fit or no-fit answer comes quickly. Its bench includes people who have run factories.
Most of its deals are add-ons, so a sale often means joining Solestra, SMX or another platform. When Solestra bought Aerofab, that company's managers began reporting to a regional hub leader, so ask who you would report to and how much of your business stays separate. The fund offering on file was $60 million and Emko adds co-investors on some deals, so ask how much of the price is committed today. Pangolin shows it will share a deal with another firm, which makes it worth asking who else would sit on your board.
Questions owners ask
Does Emko Capital run a fund or invest deal by deal?
It says it now operates as a fund, investing through Emko Industrial Fund I with co-investment where it makes sense. SEC filings show the fund's first sale in August 2021, and a separate vehicle named for AEFP, the group now called Solestra, sold $4.25 million in 2024.
Who leads the Pangolin and Artistry In Motion deal, Emko Capital or GSE Partners?
Neither firm says. Emko describes recapitalizing Pangolin and merging it with its portfolio company Artistry In Motion, partnering with Graham Sports & Entertainment Partners. GSE says the deal was completed alongside Emko. No stakes have been published, and each firm now calls the company its own portfolio company.
What size of company does Emko Capital look for?
Its published target is roughly $10 million to $100 million of revenue and up to $10 million of EBITDA. Much of its buying runs through its platforms: five of its last six deals were add-ons to Solestra, SMX or Artistry In Motion.
Does Emko Capital buy anything besides manufacturers?
Its themes include engineered services, repair and maintenance of aerospace parts, and Cirrus authorized service centers, so it is looking. Every platform it holds today is a manufacturer, though, so those themes are stated interests and not yet companies it owns.
Sources
- S1Emko Capital home page Accessed November 6, 2026
- S2Emko Capital: About Us Accessed November 6, 2026
- S3Emko Capital: Portfolio Accessed November 6, 2026
- S4Emko Capital: News Accessed November 6, 2026
- S5Emko Capital: Contact Accessed November 6, 2026
- S6Emko Capital: Active Investment Themes Accessed November 6, 2026
- S7Emko Capital: Team Accessed November 6, 2026
- S8Dean Emmerton Speaks at 2026 McGuireWoods Independent Sponsor Conference (October 30, 2026) Accessed November 6, 2026
- S9Emko Capital Recapitalizes Pangolin Laser Systems; Merges with Artistry In Motion (June 2, 2026) Accessed November 6, 2026
- S10Graham Sports & Entertainment Partners Backs Acquisition and Merger of Pangolin Laser Systems and Artistry In Motion (June 2, 2026) Accessed November 6, 2026
- S11Graham Sports & Entertainment Partners Backs Artistry In Motion's Acquisition of Flutter FETTI (October 20, 2026) Accessed November 6, 2026
- S12SEC Form D/A: Emko Industrial Fund I LP (filed March 7, 2023) Accessed November 6, 2026
- S13SEC Form D: Emko Industrial Fund I LP (filed August 24, 2021) Accessed November 6, 2026
- S14SEC Form D: Emko Industrial Fund I LP AEFP SPV, LLC (filed September 18, 2024) Accessed November 6, 2026
- S15Solestra Group Expands A&D Platform with Acquisition of AeroFab (April 5, 2026) Accessed November 6, 2026
Compiled by Greymont Advisors from public sources, including the firm’s own website and press releases. Greymont is not affiliated with Emko Capital. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction