Bertram Capital has made an investment in ECS Tuning, a seller of OEM and company branded automotive parts.
ECS Tuning sells Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Mini and Porsche automotive parts and the company has a catalog of more 1.3 million SKUs. The company’s product offering includes thousands of high-performance parts and kits sold direct-to-consumer via the company’s e-commerce site. ECS also has a company library consisting of thousands of original how-to guides, videos, images, and product suggestions. Company owned brands include ECS Tuning, Ziza, Alzor, Bremmen, and Schwaben. A third-generation family business, ECS’ shareholders Tom and Brian Demrovsky will continue to work for the company as co-CEO’s. ECS Tuning is headquartered south of Cleveland in Wadsworth, OH (www.ecstuning.com).
“Brian, Tom and their team have built an impressive organization offering consumers a differentiated buying experience through proprietary vehicle kits, in-house R&D efforts, and a rich social media experience,” said Jeff Drazan, Bertram Capital’s Managing Partner. “We are honored that Brian and Tom selected Bertram Capital as their partner to further build ECS Tuning as both a brand and premier online destination.”
Bertram Capital invests in middle-market business services, consumer, healthcare, industrial and technology companies. Bertram is currently investing out of its $500 million second fund and typically allocates $25 million to $100 million to each investment. Since the firm’s inception, Bertram has managed in excess of $850 million in committed capital and has completed 12 platform investments and 15 follow-on acquisitions. The firm is located in San Mateo, CA (www.bertramcapital.com).
“Brian and I have been looking for a financial and strategic partner that shared our vision and enthusiasm for ECS Tuning,” said Tom Demrovsky, co-CEO of ECS Tuning. “The partnership with Bertram Capital will enable us to accelerate our investment in the business so we can more aggressively pursue our mission of becoming the premier one-stop shop for auto enthusiasts.”
ECS Tuning represents Bertram Capital’s third investment in a high growth consumer business and the firm’s twelfth platform investment overall. The investment in ECS Tuning combines the talents of the ECS technology team with Bertram Labs, Bertram Capital’s internal team of software product strategists, software engineers, visual designers, online marketers, and social media experts.
“We are excited to be joining forces with Bertram Capital. We have been approached by a number of firms over the past year, but we were impressed with Bertram’s unique ability to leverage technology, their focus on growth, and their commitment to building the brand responsibly,” said Brian Demrovsky, co-CEO at ECS Tuning.
“The company’s passion is infectious,” said Ryan Craig, Partner at Bertram Capital. “It starts with Tom and Brian and is reflected in every facet of the business, from ECS’s proprietary products to the efficiency of its internal systems. At Bertram Capital, we target e-commerce companies that fuse unique content with proprietary products. ECS Tuning provides the foundation for a broader e-commerce platform focused on aftermarket automotive parts. We intend to expand our presence across a variety of automotive makes and believe the add-on acquisition opportunities in this sector will be numerous. We would also like to acknowledge John Tilson and the Brown Gibbons Lang & Company team for their efforts in bringing this exceptional investment opportunity to our attention.”
2014 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 8-7-14
