BIP's latest venture focused on fire protection and safety
Building Industry Partners (BIP), the private investment equity firm with a focus on the LBM industry, has launched its business venture.
The new Endeavor Fire Protection is a fire and life safety platform formed after the acquisition of Valley Fire Protection Systems.
Founded in 1974, Valley Fire Protection Systems installs, services, and repairs fire suppression and plumbing systems throughout the Midwest.
The company offers a comprehensive suite of systems and services to a diverse customer base including the commercial, industrial, and government markets.
With offices in Illinois and Indiana, Valley Fire Protection Services is one of the largest sprinkler contractors in the greater Chicago market.
“We are extremely happy to announce the formation of Endeavor Fire Protection and the closing of the Valley Fire Protection Systems acquisition,” said Robert Lane, vice president at BIP.
The financial terms of the Valley Fire Protection Systems acquisition were not disclosed.
According to Lane, BIP has been looking to build a new platform in the fire protection segment.
“(Valley) brings extraordinary capabilities and a long-standing reputation as a leader in the fire protection sector,” he noted.
Endeavor Fire Protection is BIP’s fourth platform under a renewed people-focused purpose.
BIP said it is prioritizing human capital management advancements in the labor-intensive building industry to build better businesses, generate better investment returns, and help employees improve their careers and lives.
“Choosing to partner with Building Industry Partners to form Endeavor Fire Protection was an easy decision for us, especially given the strong cultural fit, safety emphasis, and focus on people,” said Thomas Hartel, president of Valley Fire Protection. “My family has been in the Fire Protection business for over 120 years. We greatly valued BIP’s shared commitment to employee growth and education as well as the complementary focus on teamwork and customer service.
Now the platform has been officially launched, Justin Gilson, principal at BIP, said the company’s objective is to build a leading national fire and life safety organization both organically and through acquisition.
Much Shelist acted as M&A legal counsel and Holland & Knight LLP acted as corporate and financing legal counsel to BIP. Fifth Third Bank and Siguler Guff & Company provided debt financing to support the formation of the platform.
Building Industry Partners is the leading private equity investment firm focused on the U.S. building industry. Founded by Matt Ogden in 2008, BIP is headquartered in Boston, with investment professionals, operating partners, and advisors across the U.S.
Over the past 14 years, BIP has co-founded or been the first equity sponsor of a number of the fastest-growing LBM companies, including U.S. LBM Holdings, Kodiak Building Partners, Homewood Holdings, and U.S. Fence Solutions/Binford Supply.
