LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESS Newswire / January 14, 2026 / Pacific Avenue Capital Partners (“Pacific Avenue”), a Los Angeles-headquartered private equity firm focused on complex corporate carve-outs and other operationally intensive situations in the middle market, today announced that an affiliate has entered into an agreement to acquire Columbus McKinnon Corporation’s (“Columbus McKinnon”, NASDAQ:CMCO) U.S. based power chain hoist and chain business (the “Company”), including its international sales support functions.
The Company is a leading designer and manufacturer of electric, air, battery-powered, and manual chain hoists, trolleys, and related aftermarket parts and components. The transaction includes Columbus McKinnon’s complete portfolio of U.S. based power chain hoist and chain products, as well as its related aftermarket parts and components. This includes a portfolio of highly regarded brands including Lodestar® and Lodestar ET™, Budgit®, Chester®, Coffing® (including the JLC and EC lines), Cyclone®, CM Puller®, Powerstar®, Prostar®, Valustar®, Shopstar®, ShopAir™, and the innovative BatteryStar®, with strong positions across industrial, construction, defense, and entertainment end markets. The power chain hoist and chain product platforms primarily serve customers through a broad distributor network across North America, as well as internationally.
The business operates a primary manufacturing and engineering facility in Damascus, Virginia and a vertically integrated chain manufacturing facility in Lexington, Tennessee. The Company also operates a leased training and production facility in Rock Lititz, Pennsylvania for its Lodestar® brand and entertainment customers. The Company’s products are widely recognized for reliability, safety, and performance in mission-critical lifting applications.
As it transitions to a standalone business, the Company will operate with a renewed strategic and operational focus, prioritizing its employees and customers in the power chain hoist and chain market. With support from Pacific Avenue, the Company plans to increase investment in product innovation, supply chain resilience, and customer service.
“We are pleased to partner with Columbus McKinnon on this transaction,” said Chris Sznewajs, Founder and Managing Partner of Pacific Avenue Capital Partners. “We aim to be the buyer of choice for corporate sellers, with the ability to complete complex carve-outs on an accelerated timetable and with minimal disruption. This business represents a collection of iconic brands with deep customer relationships, a large installed base, and a global customer set across critical end markets. We are proud to support Columbus McKinnon in executing a timely divestiture and look forward to investing behind product innovation, operational excellence, and customer service as the Company grows as a standalone enterprise.”
“This product portfolio has a long heritage of reliably serving our loyal customers.” said Spencer Darr, Chief Revenue Officer of Columbus McKinnon. “We believe Pacific Avenue’s carve-out expertise and operational focus make them a strong partner for the business and our customers as we move forward as a standalone operation. We look forward to growing this business with the support of Pacific Avenue.”
KeyBanc Capital Markets served as Pacific Avenue’s M&A advisor and O’Melveny & Myers LLP as legal advisor.
The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals.
About Pacific Avenue Capital Partners
Pacific Avenue Capital Partners is a global private equity firm, headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Paris, France. The firm is focused on corporate divestitures and other complex situations in the middle market. Pacific Avenue has extensive M&A and operations experience, allowing the firm to navigate complex transactions and unlock value through operational improvement, capital investment, and accelerated growth. Pacific Avenue takes a collaborative approach in partnering with strong management teams to drive lasting and strategic change while assisting businesses in reaching their full potential. Pacific Avenue has approximately $3.8 billion of Assets Under Management (AUM) as of September 30, 2025. The members of the Pacific Avenue team have closed over 120 transactions, including over 50 corporate divestitures, across a multitude of industries throughout their combined careers. For more information, please visit https://pacificavenuecapital.com/.
About Columbus McKinnon
Columbus McKinnon Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCO) is a leading designer, manufacturer, and marketer of intelligent motion solutions for material handling. Through a portfolio of well-known brands, Columbus McKinnon helps customers improve efficiency, safety, and performance in demanding industrial and commercial applications worldwide. For more information, visit www.columbusmckinnon.com.
Contact Information
Chris Baddon
Managing Director
cbaddon@pacificavenuecapital.com
SOURCE: Pacific Avenue Capital Partners
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
