BREAKING NEWS
Multiple sources report – and I have confirmed – that stalwart screen maker Stewart Filmscreen has been acquired by Shackleton Equity Partners, a private equity company. The deal is said to have gone down just days ago and Stewart now has a new chairman, Mark Schelbert, who is also a managing director at Shackleton.
See more on the acquisition of Stewart Filmscreen
A storied brand with a long history of making superlative screens, Stewart Filmscreen is considered by many to be the gold standard in the category. Especially on the commercial side, the company’s products are used by some of the most famous names in content, such as Disney.
However, for longtime brands like Stewart, things can get tricky as founders get older and retire, leaving the management of the company to others. Keeping the mojo going can become more of a challenge. Oftentimes, the day comes when it makes sense to pass the baton on to a new generation of leadership with new ideas, more resources, and a new sense of purpose and energy.
I am told by multiple sources that most Stewart employees are feeling good about this transition. There is, they say, a new sense of purpose – with the feeling that the new owners bring strong resources and commitment to the category.
Who is Shackleton Equity Partners?
Named after famed Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, Shackleton Equity Partners says they specialize “in corporate carve-outs, non-core divestitures and special situations. We quickly consummate complex transactions through creative deal structures using our in-house due diligence, industry, and operations experts.” The primary segments they invest in include, “software, technology, aerospace and defense, telecom, electronics, manufacturing, industrial, e-commerce and consumer industries.”
The list of current portfolio companies shown on their website includes Apex Rail Automation, EMD Storage, CyberGlove Systems, Lou Tech, EMC, and more. While none of these companies specifically participate in the custom integration industry, clearly the company is comfortable with technology brands.
Terms of the deal were not released.
See more on Shackleton Equity Partners by visiting: shackletonequity.com.
Learn all about Stewart Filmscreen and its line of products at: www.stewartfilmscreen.com.
Really?
Stalwart Stewart.
Really?