MILWAUKEE (May 7, 2015) – Grace Matthews, Inc. and W.F. Taylor Co., Inc. (“Taylor”) announced today that Dominus Capital, L.P. (“Dominus”) has led a recapitalization of Taylor. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The company will continue to be led by the current executive team, including President & CEO Jack Raidy, Jr. Grace Matthews, a Milwaukee-based investment bank, advised Taylor on the recapitalization.
Taylor, headquartered in Fontana, California, is a leading manufacturer and marketer of flooring adhesives and related products. The company has a reputation in the industry for developing high quality, technologically-advanced adhesives and for providing superior customer service. Taylor is a leader in product innovation and offers a broad range of environmentally-friendly products.
The Taylor shareholders elected to partner with Dominus Capital, a New York-based private equity firm that has developed expertise in the flooring market through several prior acquisitions. The recapitalization provided an opportunity for shareholder liquidity while allowing management to partner with a firm that can leverage its market knowledge, industry contacts, and capital to accelerate Taylor’s history of strong growth.
Taylor CEO Jack Raidy said, “We are excited to partner with Dominus based on their demonstrated experience in the flooring industry. They bring an excellent reputation and have a deep knowledge base that will foster continued growth at Taylor. Taylor’s success was built on a commitment to innovative product development, strong customer service, and environmental awareness. I have no doubt that we found the right partner in Dominus to build upon that legacy going forward.
Andy Hinz, Director at Grace Matthews commented, “We developed a close relationship with many individuals at Taylor and recognized that finding the right fit was extremely important to the shareholders. A recapitalization led by Dominus was a fantastic opportunity for both the shareholders and the entire organization. The recapitalization puts Taylor in a great position to combine Dominus’ resources and capital with the company’s innovative and environmentally-friendly products. This will create a uniquely positioned competitor in the industry and was an excellent outcome for all parties involved. We are pleased to have assisted the shareholders through a successful process.”
Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLP acted as legal counsel for Taylor, while White & Case LLP acted as legal counsel for Dominus.
About W.F. Taylor Co., Inc.
Since the 1980s, designing for the environment has been part of W.F. Taylor’s innovative fabric. Taylor’s Research and Development Team design the highest performing flooring adhesives in the industry with the environment, health and safety in mind. With over half of its products independently tested and awarded environmental certifications, W.F. Taylor has led the flooring adhesive industry in progressive environmental practices. For more information, visit www.wftaylor.com.
About Dominus Capital, L.P.
Dominus is a leading middle-market private equity partnership with an operating focus. Drawing on the experience, knowledge and network of its founders and a team of in-house operating executives, Dominus works hand-in-hand with exceptional management teams to unlock the untapped potential of its portfolio companies. The Dominus team members have executed over 50 transactions in the middle market over the past 20 years. Dominus takes a long-term and conservative approach to investing and are proud to have a very consistent and successful track record of creating significant value at businesses in which it has invested. Dominus also seeks to develop and foster close personal relationships with management teams along the way, many of whom have in fact invested their own capital with Dominus. For more information, visit www.dominuscap.com.
About Grace Matthews, Inc.
Grace Matthews, Inc. is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based investment bank that provides merger, acquisition and corporate finance advisory services to private and public companies. Grace Matthews’ chemical practice is known globally for its expertise in completing successful chemical industry transactions dating back to the early 1990s. Grace Matthews’ principals have completed over 60 transactions involving global corporations such as Akzo Nobel, 3M, DuPont, Sherwin-Williams, PPG Industries, Ashland, Ceradyne, DSM, ICI, Borregaard, Air Products, Landec Corporation, Lubrizol, The Home Depot, Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Atofina Chemicals, Brush Engineered Materials, Becker Industrial Coatings, RPM International, Weatherford International, Hempel, Evonik Industries, Courtaulds, Domino Sugar, and Chr. Hansen Laboratories. For more detailed information on Grace Matthews, Inc., visit www.gracematthews.com.
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Grace Matthews’ goal is to help business owners, corporate managers, and other stakeholders unlock the value of their businesses by employing strategies that maximize value and achieve other business objectives.