Lower middle market industrial private equity firm

Shorehill Capital

At a glance

Latest fundShorehill Private Equity II, $260M (Nov 2023) S7
EBITDA rangeUp to $15M S3
Deal typesPlatform, Add-on S9
GeographyNorth America, Any location (add-ons) S3
SectorsDistribution, Industrial & Manufacturing

What Shorehill Capital buys

Shorehill Capital is a Chicago private equity firm formed in 2013 by a team that has invested in industrial companies together for more than 30 years. It buys lower middle market manufacturers, distributors and business services companies based in North America. A new platform should have up to $15 million of EBITDA and an enterprise value of $20 million to $150 million. Its list of end markets is specific: fluid power and motion control, filtration, rigging and material handling, packaging, electrical utility parts and service, building products, safety products, test and measurement devices, and technician-driven services.

Shorehill takes control and invests from Shorehill Private Equity II, a $260 million fund closed in November 2023. It likes to be a company's first or second institutional owner, prefers deals found directly or through a limited sale process, and uses moderate debt. Add-ons can be any size and from anywhere. Ascent Lifting and Estex both say they are actively looking for acquisitions, so a smaller distributor or manufacturer in their markets is the most likely fit.

Recent deals

Announced in the 24 months before October 26, 2026.

DateCompanyTypeSectorSource
Oct 2026Filtration Corporation of AmericaGlen Ellyn, Illinois distributor of aviation fuel filtration and fueling equipment added to Triad TechnologiesAdd-onDistributionSource
Aug 2026United RiggingJacksonville, Florida rigging, lifting and fall protection supplier added to Ascent Lifting; the former owner stays as operations managerAdd-onDistributionSource
Feb 2026Functional DevicesBuilding automation device maker sold to L Squared Capital Partners after about seven yearsExitIndustrial & ManufacturingSource
Dec 2025Hoisting Wire Rope and SlingCorpus Christi, Texas wire rope and rigging supplier added to Ascent LiftingAdd-onDistributionSource
Nov 2025Brevard Rigging SupplyCocoa, Florida industrial rigging supplier added to Ascent LiftingAdd-onDistributionSource
Feb 2025Estex ManufacturingFairburn, Georgia maker of tool bags, safety gear and other sewn products for utilities and airlines; joined the portfolio in late 2024PlatformIndustrial & ManufacturingSource
Feb 2025Charleston's Rigging & Marine HardwareSouth Carolina rigging distributor and fabricator with a crane service segment, added to Ascent LiftingAdd-onDistributionSource

Portfolio by sector

From the firm's portfolio page S4.

Distribution

  • Ascent Lifting
  • Flexpak
  • Triad Technologies

Manufacturing

  • Estex Manufacturing
  • Tribus Aerospace

Past investments: Functional Devices, Power Grid Components, Belt Power Holdings

Greymont’s take

How Shorehill Capital fits a seller

Shorehill suits the owner of an industrial distributor or niche manufacturer who wants an engaged partner and is willing to keep some equity. Management owns equity in every platform Shorehill buys, and the firm says all investors hold securities with the same economics. Sellers often stay in the business: after Ascent Lifting bought United Rigging in 2026, its former owner became operations manager of the combined Jacksonville branch.

A sale to Shorehill usually means either anchoring a new platform, as Estex did in late 2024, or joining an existing one, which is how Ascent Lifting reached six acquisitions by mid-2026. Holds can be long; Shorehill owned Functional Devices for about seven years before selling it to L Squared in 2026. Owners should ask whether they would lead a new platform or join an existing one, and how much debt the firm plans to put on the business.

Questions owners ask

What size company does Shorehill Capital buy?

A new platform should have up to $15 million of EBITDA and an enterprise value of $20 million to $150 million. Add-ons for its existing companies can be any size, and the firm considers add-ons outside North America.

Does the owner keep a stake after Shorehill invests?

Shorehill says management is an equity partner in every platform it buys. It encourages ownership across a wide group of key managers, gives all investors securities with the same economics, and adds incentive equity programs for management.

Is Shorehill buying rigging and lifting distributors?

Yes. Ascent Lifting, which operates as CERTEX USA with 42 locations, completed four acquisitions between February 2025 and July 2026: Charleston's Rigging & Marine Hardware, Brevard Rigging Supply, Hoisting Wire Rope and Sling, and United Rigging.

How big is Shorehill's current fund?

Shorehill Private Equity II held its final close in November 2023 with $260 million of commitments, above its $250 million target, including a significant commitment from the general partner.

Sources

  1. S1Shorehill Capital home page Accessed October 26, 2026
  2. S2Shorehill Capital: About Accessed October 26, 2026
  3. S3Shorehill Capital: Investment Criteria Accessed October 26, 2026
  4. S4Shorehill Capital: Portfolio (current and prior investments) Accessed October 26, 2026
  5. S5Shorehill Capital: News Accessed October 26, 2026
  6. S6Shorehill Capital: Why Partner With Shorehill? Accessed October 26, 2026
  7. S7Shorehill Capital Raises $260 Million for Oversubscribed Shorehill Private Equity II LP (November 16, 2023) Accessed October 26, 2026
  8. S8Triad Technologies Announces the Acquisition of Filtration Corporation of America (October 6, 2026) Accessed October 26, 2026
  9. S9Ascent Lifting Announces the Acquisition of United Rigging (August 6, 2026) Accessed October 26, 2026
  10. S10Shorehill Capital Exits Functional Devices (February 23, 2026) Accessed October 26, 2026
  11. S11Ascent Lifting Announces the Acquisition of Hoisting Wire Rope and Sling (December 16, 2025) Accessed October 26, 2026
  12. S12Ascent Lifting Announces the Acquisition of Brevard Rigging Supply (November 4, 2025) Accessed October 26, 2026
  13. S13Shorehill Capital Acquires Estex Manufacturing (February 25, 2025) Accessed October 26, 2026
  14. S14Ascent Lifting Announces the Acquisition of Charleston's Rigging & Marine Hardware (February 4, 2025) Accessed October 26, 2026
  15. S15Shorehill Capital: 2025 Year in Review (February 18, 2026) Accessed October 26, 2026
  16. S16Shorehill Forms Rigging Products Distribution Platform (October 4, 2022) Accessed October 26, 2026

Compiled by Greymont Advisors from public sources, including the firm’s own website and press releases. Greymont is not affiliated with Shorehill Capital. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction

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