Eckler’s, a portfolio company of Baird Capital Partners, has acquired T-Bird Sanctuary, a provider of classic Thunderbird restoration parts and accessories.
T-Bird Sanctuary (www.tbirdsanctuary.com) was founded in 1966 and is the oldest source for Thunderbird parts in the industry. T-Bird will be combined with the classic Thunderbird parts currently offered by the MAC’s Auto Parts (MACS) division of Eckler’s, which was acquired by the company in November 2012. MAC is the largest supplier of Ford restoration parts and accessories and the newly combined MAC’s Thunderbird business will have the most comprehensive selection of Thunderbird parts in the industry, covering all production years from 1955 through 1979.
“T-Bird is in good hands. Eckler’s resources and capability to stock more parts, invest in more tooling, and offer improved service will be a great asset for our customers,” said Bob Peters, President of T-Bird Sanctuary.
Eckler’s, acquired by Baird in July 2012, is a multi-channel marketer of restoration parts and accessories for classic and enthusiast cars and trucks. Eckler’s products are primarily marketed to consumer enthusiasts and small business classic car restorers. The company is based in Titusville, FL (www.ecklers.com).
“With the acquisition of T-Bird Sanctuary, we can now ensure that Thunderbird enthusiasts have one place to go for the broadest selection and the best on-hand inventory and technical support. We want to make it easy to find and obtain the parts they need so they can focus on enjoying these incredible cars,” said Matt Jordan, Eckler’s CEO.
Baird Capital Partners invests in lower middle-market companies in the manufactured products, healthcare and business services sectors. The firm invests from $15 million to $35 million in companies with enterprise values of $25 million to $125 million and EBITDAs greater than $5 million. Baird Capital Partners was founded in 1989 and is based in Chicago (www.bairdcapitalpartners.com).
© 2013 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 7-31-13
