United Sports Brands, a portfolio company of Bregal Partners, has acquired NATHAN Sports, a designer of support equipment used by runners.
NATHAN Sports designs hydration and visibility equipment including hydration vests, belts, handhelds, bottles, running packs, visibility products and reflective vests. The company’s products are sold by specialty running shops, outdoor retailers, and sporting goods stores in 45 countries. NATHAN Sports is headquartered in the Philadelphia suburb of Sharon Hill (www.NathanSports.com).
“We’re excited to add NATHAN to the growing United Sports Brands portfolio of authentic brands. NATHAN is an ideal complement to the current portfolio of United Sports Brands products, and we look forward to working with the NATHAN team, further fueling this powerful brand’s growth,” said Tony Armand, chief executive officer of United Sports Brands.
NATHAN is the fifth brand in United Sports Brands’ portfolio, which includes Shock Doctor (a maker of mouth guards – www.shockdoctor.com); McDavid (sports medicine, sports protection and performance apparel – www.mcdavidusa.com); Cutters (athletic gloves – www.cutterssports.com); and XO Athletic (athletic cups and sports protection – www.xoathletic.com). United Sports is headquartered in the Minneapolis suburb of Minnetonka.
NATHAN’s principal owner and chairman, Jon Reichlin, will be an investor in United Sports Brands and remain a contributor to the NATHAN brand. NATHAN will relocate operations to United Sports’ headquarters in Minnesota and California in phases beginning in 2016.
Bregal Partners invests from $25 million to $90 million of equity in companies operating in the consumer, food & retail, energy services and healthcare services. Target investments typically have $15 million to $75 million or more of EBITDA. The firm has $600 million of committed capital funded by a sixth-generation family foundation. Bregal Partners is based in New York (www.bregalpartners.com).
© 2015 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 10-27-15
