Family-owned industrial holding company
The Heico Companies
- HeadquartersChicago, IL S7
- Founded1979 S2
- Websiteheicocompanies.com
- Last verifiedOctober 20, 2026
At a glance
| EBITDA range | $5M to $15M S4 |
|---|---|
| Revenue range | $50M to $250M S4 |
| Deal types | Platform, Add-on S4 |
| Geography | North America, Europe S4 |
| Sectors | Industrial & Manufacturing, Construction Services |
What The Heico Companies buys
The Heico Companies is a family-owned holding company based in Chicago that buys industrial businesses and keeps them. Michael Heisley founded it in 1979, and it now invests its own capital with no outside investors and no fund deadline. Many of its companies have been owned for more than 30 years. Its four groups cover engineered parts and heavy equipment, specialty industrial equipment, commercial construction services, and steel wire, fastener and rod products.
For a new platform, Heico prefers a company based in North America or Europe with $50 million to $250 million of revenue, $5 million to $15 million of EBITDA and margins above 10 percent, or a clear path to them. It always takes majority control. Add-ons that fit an existing Heico business can be located anywhere and have no EBITDA minimum, though Heico prefers at least $5 million of sales. Its recent purchases, such as Electric Eel and Kleiss Gears, were folded into existing segments.
Recent deals
Announced in the 24 months before October 20, 2026.
| Date | Company | Type | Sector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | Kleiss GearsPrecision molding and plastic gear maker in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, bought from Victrex plc and added to the Plastics Segment | Add-on | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Nov 2025 | Electric Eel ManufacturingFamily-founded Springfield, Ohio maker of sewer and drain cleaning equipment, added to the Sewer and Drain Segment | Add-on | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| Nov 2025 | KershawRail maintenance and vegetation management equipment business, formerly part of Progress Rail, added to the Heavy Equipment Segment | Add-on | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
Portfolio by sector
From the firm's portfolio page S5.
Applied Solutions Group
- Ancra Cargo
- Ancra Systems BV
- Kinedyne
- Wistra GmbH
- Roland International
- LoadLok
- B/A Products
- Pettibone Traverse Lift
- Barko Hydraulics
- ARDCO
- Kershaw Equipment
- Shred-Tech
- CM Shredders
- Neo Industries
- Sarclad
- Ancra Aircraft
- Ohmite
- Arcol
- Stenograph
Construction Solutions Group
- Ceco Concrete
- Concrete Frame Associates
- Zalk Josephs Fabricators
- Bo-Mac Contractors
- SJ Hamill Construction
- Titan Formwork Systems
- Steelform Rental
Industrial Technologies Group
- Wakefield Thermal
- Coolcentric
- C/A Design
- Wakefield Extrusion
- Precision Engineering
- Vette
- Spartan Tool
- Electric Eel Manufacturing
- RIONED BV
- KARO GmbH
- Insight Vision
- Bartell Machinery Systems
- The Steelastic Company
- Versatile Mold & Design
- Davies Molding
- Kleiss High Precision
- Field Controls
- Air+Health
Metal Processing Group
- Davis Wire
- NS ARC
- DW-National Standard-Stillwater
- Sivaco Wire Group
- National Strand
- Infasco
- Ivaco Rolling Mills
Greymont’s take
How The Heico Companies fits a seller
Heico suits owners of industrial manufacturers and specialty contractors who care what happens to the business after they sell. Because Heico holds companies for the long run, there is no planned resale to another buyer a few years later. Its companies keep their own names and run under their own managers, while sharing Heico's central teams for purchasing, legal, IT, HR and safety. When Heico bought Electric Eel in 2025, a leader of the family-founded seller said Heico understood and respected family businesses.
The tradeoff is control. Heico requires a majority stake in every deal, so it is a buyer for owners ready to give up control. Where a company overlaps with an existing Heico business, it is also open to an owner stepping away after a transition period. Owners should ask which Heico group and segment their company would join, and how much freedom its managers would keep.
Questions owners ask
Does The Heico Companies take minority stakes?
No. Its investment criteria say it requires majority control in every investment. It buys new platforms and add-ons for its existing businesses, using family capital rather than money from outside investors.
What size company does The Heico Companies look for?
For new platforms it prefers $50 million to $250 million of revenue and $5 million to $15 million of EBITDA, with margins above 10 percent. For add-ons to an existing business it has no EBITDA minimum but prefers at least $5 million of sales.
Will The Heico Companies sell my company again after a few years?
Its stated approach is to buy, hold and build. It says it is not bound by the usual private equity holding periods, and it has owned many of its businesses for more than 30 years.
Sources
- S1The Heico Companies home page Accessed October 20, 2026
- S2The Heico Companies: Who We Are Accessed October 20, 2026
- S3The Heico Companies: What We Do Accessed October 20, 2026
- S4The Heico Companies: Where We Invest (investment criteria) Accessed October 20, 2026
- S5The Heico Companies: Our Portfolio Accessed October 20, 2026
- S6The Heico Companies: News & Press Accessed October 20, 2026
- S7The Heico Companies Completes the Acquisition of Kleiss Gears from Victrex plc (Chicago, August 7, 2026) Accessed October 20, 2026
- S8The Heico Companies Acquires Electric Eel Manufacturing (November 3, 2025) Accessed October 20, 2026
- S9The Heico Companies Acquires Kershaw Rail Maintenance and Vegetation Management Businesses (November 2025) 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 The Heico Companies. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction