Featuring resilient and recurring demand, a wide variety of engineered equipment, products, and components are on investors’ radar. While many categories are seeing success, companies specializing in building automation and controls are particularly appealing.

Building Automation and Controls: Energy Efficiency Goals Generate Demand

Industrials

Engineer installing and testing automated building control equipment in fuse box and repairing of modern electricity power station. 

IND Article Functional Devices Web Media

Organizations and consumers are both seeking ways to maintain cleanliness and safety, driving sustained demand for many types of products.  At the intersection of the health and hygiene and janitorial and sanitation categories sits our recent client GOJO Industries. The company’s well-known PURELL® brand plays a unique and essential role in the daily lives of millions of people, whether in healthcare settings, at the workplace, in the businesses they frequent as customers, or in the home.

Health and Hygiene: GOJO and the Demand for Trusted Brands, Recurring Revenue, and Unique IP

Business Services

BS IND Article GOJO Web Media

Automation is increasingly critical across modern discrete (factory) processes, enabling greater quality, higher throughput, and lower production costs. In fact, the $150B global discrete (factory) automation market is expected to expand at a 6% CAGR to reach $200B by 2030.1  “Automation is evolving into a strategic necessity that addresses skilled labor shortages, supply chain fragility, and the economics of reshoring while unlocking better productivity and sustainability,” says Mark Brune, a managing director in our Industrials Group.

Discrete Automation Report: Technology, Scale, and the Next Wave of Industrial Investment

IND Report LEK Discrete Automation Web Media

The proliferation of AI and advanced computing is driving an expansion in data center capacity, creating a critical bottleneck: reliable, immediate power. As power demand continues to accelerate, the gas turbine and reciprocating engines market is evolving from a relatively quiet sector into a compelling investment opportunity.

Data Centers: Power Demand and the Gas Turbine Opportunity

Aerospace, Defense & Government Services

Natural gas turbine power plant at sunset

ADG IND Article Gas Turbines Web Media

Building Products Q1 2026

Close-up shot of two businessmen handshaking in front of modern office building. Focus is on the hands.

FIRM Article Kelleher Mergers & Acquisitions Webinar Web Media

Chemicals & Specialty Materials Q1 2026

IND Sector Brief Chemicals web-media

Packaging Q1 2026

IND Sector Brief Packaging Q2 2025 LI web-media

Many water-related themes are generating growth and investment potential for companies throughout the value chain. For example, limited funding for water and wastewater assets has established a sustained, nondiscretionary need for maintenance and improvement. At the same time, municipalities and utilities are increasingly outsourcing noncore functions like water and wastewater management.

Water Services: M&A Momentum Across the Value Chain

Energy, Power & Infrastructure

Consumer

IND EPI BS CONS Article Water Multi-Deal Web Media

In 2026 and beyond, the industrials space is expected to see strong investor interest fueled by many long-term themes, including onshoring and nearshoring, electrification, infrastructure investment, digital transformation and technology adoption, sustainability, and others.

Outlook 2026 | Industrials

Outlook-2026-IND Media-Thumbnail

Building Products Q4 2025

IND Sector Brief Building Products Web Media

Hubbell Incorporated to Acquire NSI Industries

Mergers & Acquisitions

Building Products & Materials

Engineered Equipment, Products & Components

Industrial Technology

7481 Hubbell Incorporated - NSi Industries NT PENDING

GOJO Industries Acquired by The Clorox Company

Consumer Products

Medical Products and Devices

Chemicals & Specialty Materials

6885 GOJO Industries NT SP

National Coatings & Supplies Acquired by Wesco Group

Transportation & Logistics

Automotive & Heavy-Duty Aftermarket

6994 National Coatings and Supplies NT

Functional Devices Inc. Acquired by L Squared Capital Partners

6958 Functional Devices NT-vertical

Tex Tech to be Acquired by Michelin

Aerospace Technology & Products

7085 Tex Tech Industries NT PENDING

Kohlberg Acquires Loenbro

Infrastructure

7331 Loenbro - Kohlberg & Company NT

JLL Partners Acquires PowerParts Group

7369 PowerParts Group - JLL Partners NT

Lindsay Precast Acquired by TJC 

Engineering & Construction

6561 Lindsay Precast NT

PurgeRite Acquired by Vertiv Holdings Co.

Commercial & Industrial Services

6779 PurgeRite NT

Heatscape Acquired by Guardian Capital Partners 

Heatscape has been acquired by Guardian Capital Partners

6484 Heatscape NT SP

AlpHa Measurement Solutions Acquired by Enpro Inc.

6881 AlpHa Measurement Solutions NT

Damotech Acquired by Vance Street Capital

6835 Damotech NT

Avtron Power Solutions Acquired by Legrand S.A.

Testing, Inspection, Certification & Compliance

6600 Avtron Power Solutions NT

DMC Power Acquired by Hubbell

Energy Technology

6887 DMC Power NT

Rensa Filtration Acquires IREMA-Filter

7053 IREMA-Filter - Rensa Filtration NT

Logix ITS Acquired by TAPCO

6760 Logix ITS NT

Great Lakes Data Racks & Cabinets Acquired by Vertiv Holdings Company

6803 Great Lakes NT SP

Advent International Corporation Acquires LayerZero Power Systems

6898 Advent International Corporation - LayerZero Power Systems NT SP

Ideal Tridon Acquired by Nautic Partners

5411 Ideal Tridon Holdings NT

Elgen Manufacturing Company Acquired by Worthington Enterprises 

6432 Elgen Manufacturing NT

Mosaic Companies’ Opustone Acquired by Construction Resources, a Subsidiary of The Home Depot

6662 Opustone - NT

Graham Partners Completes Continuation Vehicle for Gatekeeper Systems

Private Capital Solutions

6777 PCA Graham Partners - Gatekeeper Systems NT

TTSP HWP Acquired by Tikehau Capital

General Industrial

6617 TTSP HWP NT

Electro Rent's intellirent Acquired by Sandbrook Capital

Environmental Services

6602 intellirent NT

H.B. Fuller’s Flooring Business Acquired by Pacific Avenue Capital Partners

6471 H.B. Fuller Flooring Business NT SP

NSI Industries Acquired by Sentinel Capital Partners

6566 NSI Industries NT

UW Solutions Acquired by Apogee Enterprises, Inc.

5766 UW Solutions NT

Waste Vision Acquired by MML Capital Partners

Technology

6176 Waste Vision NT

Salient Acquired by Trystar, a Portfolio Company of Blackstone

6266 Salient NT

Harris Williams Advised Mott Corp. on Sale to IDEX Corp.

6274 Mott Corporation NT SP

Raptor Scientific Acquired By TransDigm Group

Government Technology and Services

6016 Raptor Scientific NT

Marshall Excelsior Company Acquired by Dover

6512 Marshall Excelsior Company NT

CONTENUR Acquired by Nexxus Capital

Packaging

5382 Contenur NT

Trachte, LLC acquired by nVent Electric plc for $695 Million

6385 Trachte NT

Supreme Cabinetry Brands Acquired by MasterBrand

6297 Dura Supreme NT

Insulation Technology Group Acquired by TJC

6109 Insulation Technology Group NT

Undisclosed Investor Completes Continuation Vehicle for Covia​

Natural Resources, Metals, and Mining

Harris Williams advised an undisclosed investor on their single-asset continuation vehicle raise for Covia Holdings LLC.

PCA Covia NT

Tailwind Capital Acquires GrayMatter

6524 Tailwind - Gray Matter NT

AGR International Acquired by Indicor

5808 AGR International, Inc. NT

Safe Fleet Acquired by Clarience Technologies

Transportation Equipment

6080 Safe Fleet NT

Arsenal Capital Partners Makes Majority Investment in Polycorp Ltd.

6448 Polycorp NT SP

Motion Solutions Acquired by Novanta

5685 Motion Solutions NT

Sentinel Capital Partners Recapitalizes Online Labels Group

6372 Sentinel Capital Partners - Online Labels Group NT

Guardian Capital Acquires Q-Free 

Q-Free tombstone

Potter Global Technologies Acquired by KKR

6027 Potter Global Technologies NT

Fara AS Acquired by Modaxo 

5914 FARA NT

Lubrication Engineers

industrials-m&a-deal-lubrication-engineers-acquired-by-aurora

5881 Lubrication Engineers NT

Midland Industries Acquired by Gemspring Capital

Specialty Distribution

5684 Midland Industries NT

DMC Power Acquired by Golden Gate Capital

5800 DMC Power (Project Power) NT

Liquibox

5769 Liquibox Corporation NT

Harris Williams advised Summit Interconnect, a portfolio company of HCI Equity Partners, on its sale to Lindsay Goldberg. Summit is a leading provider of complex printed circuit boards focused on defense, space and high-performance commercial sectors in the North American market.

Summit Interconnect

United States

5095_summit_interconnect.png

Harris Williams advised PTV Group, a portfolio company of Bridgepoint and Porsche SE, on its acquisition of Econolite, a leading North American provider of intelligent traffic management solutions.

Econolite

5704 Econolite NT

Harris Williams advised Coastal Forest Resources Company on the sale of its subsidiary, Coastal Plywood Company, to Boise Cascade Company. Coastal Plywood Company is a leading provider of plywood, lumber, and treated wood products throughout the U.S. Southeast.

Coastal Plywood

5558 Coastal Plywood NT

Harris Williams advised Polara Enterprises, a portfolio company of Vance Street Capital, on its acquisition of Eberle Design Inc., a subsidiary of PPG Corporation. Eberle Design Inc. is a leading developer and manufacturer of highly engineered traffic safety technologies that enable safe and connected infrastructure.

Eberle Design Inc.

5761 eberle design NT

Harris Williams advised Cold Jet on its minority investment from Seidler Equity Partners and Stonehenge Partners. Cold Jet is a leading provider of innovative and technologically advanced dry ice solutions.

Cold Jet, LLC 

5654 Cold Jet NT

Hellas Construction

5268 Hellas Construction NT

Harris Williams advised Polara Enterprises, a portfolio company of Vance Street Capital, on its acquisition of Carmanah Technologies. Carmanah is a leading designer and manufacturer of solar and AC powered systems for pedestrian and traffic safety across North America.

Carmanah Technologies

Canada

5723 Carmanah NT

Harris Williams advised Maillis Plastics Solutions, an independent subsidiary of Maillis Group owned by H.I.G. Capital, to Teufelberger and Sigma Plastics Group. Maillis Plastics Solutions is a leading European stretch film and strapping manufacturer with a compelling value proposition and a clear commitment to product safety and sustainability.

Maillis Plastics Solutions

Poland

5262_marflex_maillis.1.png

Harris Williams advised KCF Technologies on their investment from River Bay Partners. KCF Technologies develops predictive machine health solutions utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning to maximize operational uptime in manufacturing industries.

KCF Technologies

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Harris Williams advised Arsenal Capital on its acquisition of Eckhart, a portfolio company of LFM Capital. Eckhart is a provider of highly-engineered automation solutions for diverse manufacturing industries.

Eckhart

5609_eckhart_arsenal_capital_buyside.png

Harris Williams advised United Site Services on its sale to PECF USS Holding Corporation, a newly formed special purpose vehicle affiliated with Platinum Equity. USS is the leading provider of portable sanitation and related site services in the United States.

United Site Services

5186_united_site_services_project_patriot_uss_2020.png

Harris Williams advised Anord Mardix, a portfolio company of Bertram Capital, on its sale to Flex Electronics. Anord Mardix is a manufacturer and supplier of critical power distribution and protection equipment focused on serving the high-growth hyperscale and colocation data center infrastructure market.

Anord Mardix

Ireland

5213_anord_mardix_group_project_lion.png

Harris Williams advised RegO, a portfolio company of Windjammer Capital, on its sale to Dover. RegO is a leading manufacturer of flow control and safety devices for production, storage, and transportation of industrial gases, cryogenic liquids, and alternative fuels.

RegO

Overview

Engagements

Insights

Industrials: Long-Term Dynamics Drive Investment Opportunity