Middle market private equity firm
Greenbriar Equity Group
- HeadquartersGreenwich, CT S4
- Founded1999 S1
- Websitegreenbriar.com
- Last verifiedOctober 20, 2026
At a glance
| Latest fund | Greenbriar Equity Fund VII, $5.4B (Feb 2026) S5 |
|---|---|
| Deal types | Platform, Add-on S2 |
| Sectors | Transportation & Logistics, Industrial & Manufacturing, Distribution, Auto Services & Collision |
What Greenbriar Equity Group buys
Greenbriar is a Greenwich, Connecticut firm, started in 1999, that sticks to two areas it has worked in for decades. The first is supply chain and services: freight and parcel logistics, distribution, aviation services, the vehicle aftermarket and other industrial services. The second is advanced manufacturing for aerospace, defense and other tightly regulated industries. The firm says it has raised about $17 billion across its funds and completed more than 300 platform and add-on acquisitions. Its seventh fund closed in February 2026 at $5.4 billion, the largest in its history, so new platforms tend to be sizable companies.
Greenbriar backs management teams with a set growth plan and often builds platforms by buying smaller rivals in fragmented markets. It says it is frequently the first outside investor in a founder or family business. It does not publish revenue or EBITDA minimums. A smaller owner is most likely to meet Greenbriar as an add-on, for example to VIVE Collision, its Northeast collision repair platform, which bought independent body shops throughout 2025 and 2026.
Recent deals
Announced in the 24 months before October 20, 2026.
| Date | Company | Type | Sector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | Above All Collision CenterConcord, New Hampshire body shop added to VIVE Collision | Add-on | Auto Services & Collision | Source |
| Sep 2026 | Spectrum ControlAgreement to buy the RF and microwave components maker from AEA Investors; closing expected by the first quarter of 2027 | Platform | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Sep 2026 | Jasmin Auto BodyWhite River Junction, Vermont shop and VIVE Collision's 81st location | Add-on | Auto Services & Collision | Source |
| Sep 2026 | Joe DiIorio Auto BodyFamily-run Homestead, Pennsylvania shop and VIVE Collision's 80th location | Add-on | Auto Services & Collision | Source |
| Jun 2026 | Applied Aerospace & DefensePortfolio company priced its initial public offering on the NYSE at $20 a share | Investment | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Mar 2026 | Cherry CollisionThree southern New Jersey shops added to VIVE Collision, bringing it to 75 locations | Add-on | Auto Services & Collision | Source |
| Mar 2026 | Alliance Ground InternationalAirport cargo and ground services provider sold to Lone Star Funds with co-owner Audax Private Equity | Exit | Transportation & Logistics | Source |
| Feb 2026 | Greenbriar Equity Fund VIIFinal close at $5.4 billion, above its $4.25 billion target | Fund close | Source | |
| Feb 2026 | AIT Worldwide LogisticsAgreement to back the global freight forwarder; prior owner The Jordan Company and management stay invested | Platform | Transportation & Logistics | Source |
| Jan 2026 | eShippingManaged transportation and logistics technology provider, led by its founder and CEO | Platform | Transportation & Logistics | Source |
| Dec 2025 | Applied Aerospace & DefenseNew space and defense hardware platform formed by combining Applied Aerospace and PCX Aerosystems | Platform | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Aug 2025 | Evolve: Electric Vehicle SpecialistsEV collision center in New Castle, Delaware; VIVE Collision's first Delaware site | Add-on | Auto Services & Collision | Source |
| May 2025 | West Star AviationBusiness aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul provider bought from The Sterling Group | Platform | Source | |
| Feb 2025 | Breeze AutocareAgreement to sell the stay-in-car quick lube chain to Valvoline | Exit | Auto Services & Collision | Source |
| Feb 2025 | Professionals Auto Body, Carsmetics of Worcester and Sprague's Collision CenterShops in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New York added to VIVE Collision, reaching 55 locations | Add-on | Auto Services & Collision | Source |
| Feb 2025 | ArotechDefense training, power systems and electronics maker sold to Albion River | Exit | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Dec 2024 | Xtreme Collision CenterMorrisville, Vermont shop and VIVE Collision's 52nd location | Add-on | Auto Services & Collision | Source |
| Oct 2024 | Bryon's Auto BodyNewington, Connecticut shop and VIVE Collision's 50th location | Add-on | Auto Services & Collision | Source |
Portfolio by sector
From the firm's portfolio page S3.
Advanced Manufacturing: Aerospace & Defense
- Applied Aerospace & Defense
- Pursuit Aerospace
Supply Chain/Services: Aerospace & Defense
- Sunvair Aerospace Group
- West Star Aviation
Supply Chain/Services: Business Services
- eShipping
- The Facilities Group
- Towne
Supply Chain/Services: Distribution
- Radwell International
- Renuity
- Sparkstone Electrical Group
Supply Chain/Services: Logistics
- AIT Worldwide Logistics
- FragilePAK
- OnTrac
- Wineshipping
Supply Chain/Services: Vehicle Aftermarket Support
- VIVE Collision
- SunAuto Tire & Service
- JEGS Automotive
- RANDYS
Past investments: Breeze Autocare, Alliance Ground International, Arotech, STS Aviation Group
Greymont’s take
How Greenbriar Equity Group fits a seller
Greenbriar suits owners in its core niches: freight and parcel logistics, aviation maintenance, aerospace and defense manufacturing, industrial distribution and auto aftermarket services. With a $5.4 billion fund, its new platforms are usually large, and several recent ones were bought from other private equity firms, such as West Star Aviation from The Sterling Group and Spectrum Control from AEA Investors.
Smaller owners mostly fit as add-ons. Collision shop owners in the Northeast are the clearest case: VIVE Collision bought shops in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont and New Hampshire in 2026, and when it bought the family-run Joe DiIorio Auto Body it said the local team would keep serving its customers. An owner selling to a platform like VIVE should ask what role they and their staff will have after closing, and how long Greenbriar expects to own the platform before its own sale, since recent exits went to buyers such as Valvoline and Lone Star Funds.
Questions owners ask
Does Greenbriar buy collision repair or auto service businesses?
Yes, mainly through its platforms. VIVE Collision, a current Greenbriar company, added Cherry Collision, Joe DiIorio Auto Body, Jasmin Auto Body and Above All Collision Center in 2026. Greenbriar also owned the quick lube chain Breeze Autocare until it agreed to sell it to Valvoline in February 2025.
How large is Greenbriar's current fund?
Greenbriar Equity Fund VII held its final close in February 2026 with $5.4 billion of commitments. That was well above its $4.25 billion target and is the largest fund the firm has raised.
Does Greenbriar invest in founder-owned companies?
Its strategy page says it often provides a company's first institutional capital and understands the shift away from founder or family ownership. Its January 2026 eShipping deal, for example, was a partnership with the company's founder and CEO, Chad Earwood.
Sources
- S1Greenbriar Equity Group home page Accessed October 20, 2026
- S2Greenbriar: Investment Strategy Accessed October 20, 2026
- S3Greenbriar: Portfolio Accessed October 20, 2026
- S4Greenbriar: Contact Accessed October 20, 2026
- S5Greenbriar Raises $5.4 Billion in Oversubscribed Seventh Fund (February 26, 2026) Accessed October 20, 2026
- S6Greenbriar: News Accessed October 20, 2026
- S7VIVE Collision: News Accessed October 20, 2026
- S8Sun Auto Tire & Service: Our Network (ownership timeline) Accessed October 20, 2026
- S9Greenbriar to Acquire Spectrum Control from AEA Investors (September 29, 2026) Accessed October 20, 2026
Compiled by Greymont Advisors from public sources, including the firm’s own website and press releases. Greymont is not affiliated with Greenbriar Equity Group. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction