News
Successful Exit of RANDYS Worldwide Automotive
Seattle, Washington (May 16, 2019) – RANDYS Worldwide, a leading designer and asset-light supplier of highly-engineered drivetrain products to the automotive aftermarket, announces the acquisition by Tailwind Capital, a middle market private equity firm focused on growth-oriented investments in targeted sectors within healthcare, business services, and industrial services.
Jeff Calhoun, Partner at Tailwind, commented, “RANDYS has created a portfolio of brands and products known for their quality, consistency, and customer satisfaction. Tailwind looks forward to working with the RANDYS team to leverage its impressive customer loyalty and leading brands to continue growing the company.”
Tailwind partners with experienced management teams and entrepreneurs to transform businesses through organic growth initiatives, acquisitions, and operational and strategic investments. Since inception, Tailwind has managed $3.6 billion of committed equity capital and has invested in 40 portfolio companies and over 90 add-on acquisitions.
Kevin Kaestner, President and CEO at RANDYS Worldwide, commented, “RANDYS is excited about this partnership that will help to strengthen our position as the drivetrain supplier of choice to the automotive aftermarket. We are committed to continuing to grow our quality product, service, distribution, and technology platforms to the highest levels in the industry. We’ve enjoyed the support from Jim Guddy and Linsalata Capital to transition from a founder owned business and position us for continued growth, and Tailwind Capital is a great partner to help us realize the long-term goals of the organization.”
RANDYS Worldwide is a leading supplier of aftermarket drivetrain products, including differential gears, axles, installation kits, driveshafts, lockers, limited slip differentials, remanufactured transfer cases, axle assemblies and manual transmissions. RANDYS caters to all channels in the aftermarket including installers, big box retailers, remanufacturers, e-commerce retailers, and enthusiasts. The company markets its drivetrain products under three brands: Yukon Gear & Axle, U.S.A. Standard Gear, and Zumbrota Drivetrain, along with Diff Wizard that provides electronic year/make/model lookup of over 6,000 differential applications dating back to 1948. RANDYS employs over 200 team members across seven warehouses and facilities and the company continues to grow as it adds new product lines, brands, and applications.