Area Wide Protective, a provider of temporary traffic management services and a portfolio company of The Riverside Company, has acquired Safety First Contracting.
Safety First provides outsourced traffic management services from eight facilities located across Atlantic Canada which includes the provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
The company’s customers include utilities, utility contractors and telecommunication companies. Safety First also sells traffic control and safety equipment and also provides safety training courses. The company is headquartered in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (www.safetyfirst-sfc.com).
Area Wide Protective (AWP) helps direct or re-route traffic in support of construction, repair, or maintenance projects affecting public roads. AWP provides on-site technicians, equipment and vehicles, in addition to permitting and design services. The company has a variety of customers but mainly serves utilities, utility contractors, and telecommunications companies. AWP has more than 3,000 employees and a fleet of nearly 1,500 fully-equipped pick-up trucks and traffic specialty vehicles and works out of 60 locations in 20 states throughout the Midwest, East, and Southeast. The company is headquartered near Akron in Kent, OH (www.awptrafficsafety.com).
“Safety First serves a similar client base to AWP,” said Riverside Managing Partner Suzy Kriscunas. “More than just a good strategic fit, Safety First is a great company with a strong history of meeting the needs of an array of clients across Atlantic Canada.”
Riverside acquired Area Wide Protective in June 2015 from Blue Point Capital Partners. The buy of Safety First Contracting is the sixth add-on for Area Wide Protective and also represents the company’s first Canadian and international addition.
“The addition of a Canadian company continues a strategy of geographic expansion for AWP,” said Riverside Principal Ryan Richards. “AWP now covers most of the Atlantic Coast and offers services in 20 states and Canada,” said Richards. “We are excited about continuing to build this exceptional company that provides services that protect lives.”
Working with Ms. Kriscunas and Mr. Richards on the transaction for Riverside were Operating Partner Tom Anderson, Senior Associate Connor Danielowski, and Associate Ming Yau. Riverside Partner Anne Hayes helped secure financing for the transaction. Regional Director Cheryl Strom and Principal Jim Butterfield sourced the deal for Riverside.
The Riverside Company is a global private equity firm focused on investing in and acquiring growing businesses valued at up to $400 million. Since its founding in 1988, Riverside has invested in more than 520 transactions and its portfolio includes more than 80 companies. The firm is headquartered in New York with 16 additional US and international offices (www.riversidecompany.com).
AWP’s bank group includes Antares Capital, Madison Capital, MidCap Financial, NewStar Financial, Ares Capital Management, Churchill Asset Management, Siemens Financial, and Ally Financial.
© 2018 Private Equity Professional | March 23, 2018
