Safe Fleet to Acquire American Van Equipment BELTO

BELTON, Mo., May 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Safe Fleet, a leading global provider of safety and productivity solutions for fleet vehicles, is pleased to announce it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire American Van Equipment (“American Van”). 

American Van is a leading manufacturer and distributor of van and truck shelving, storage systems, and accessories, producing high quality interior and exterior components that help improve worker productivity and vehicle safety. Based out of Lakewood, NJ, American Van services a wide variety of contractors and fleets directly through its comprehensive online presence, catalog distribution (with over 2.5 million copies mailed quarterly), and three showroom facilities.

“We are ecstatic about the addition of American Van to Safe Fleet Work Truck,” said John Knox, Chairman, President & CEO, Safe Fleet. “The product fit, customer reach, and upfitter capabilities American Van brings to Safe Fleet Work Truck are game-changing. The acquisition will solidify Safe Fleet’s position within the Work Truck industry as the preeminent provider of safety and productivity solutions.”

“Joining Safe Fleet is a tremendous growth opportunity for the American Van family of products and employees,” said Chuck Richter, President, American Van. “Partnering with Safe Fleet will provide American Van the ability to enhance the legacy of our brand and enable growth to better serve contractors, business and fleet owners throughout North America.” Current management of American Van will continue with the business going forward and operate within Safe Fleet Work Truck.

“The addition of American Van into Safe Fleet Work Truck exemplifies another step in Safe Fleet’s journey in building out the leading safety and productivity company for fleet vehicles across a variety of end-markets with leading brands and products,” stated John Knox. “With Prime Design and American Van, we have joined together two iconic brands to provide a complete range of solutions to address both the exterior and interior needs of truck and van upfit customers.”

About Safe Fleet

Headquartered in Belton, MO, Safe Fleet owns a portfolio of brands that provide safety and productivity solutions to fleet vehicle manufacturers and operators around the world. These brands serve several major markets including: Bus, Rail, RV, Truck & Trailer, Work Truck, Law Enforcement, Emergency, Waste, Industrial, and Military. Safe Fleet’s Work Truck business unit delivers safety and productivity solutions, such as ergonomic ladder racks, access platforms, and video and telematics applications, to the work truck industry from leading Safe Fleet brands such as Prime Design, Randall Manufacturing, ROM, FRC, Bustin, RVS Systems, and Seon. With over 1,300 employees and 11 manufacturing locations, Safe Fleet targets markets with increasing demand for operator, passenger, and pedestrian safety. For more information about Safe Fleet and its portfolio of brands, please visit www.safefleet.net . Safe Fleet is a portfolio company of Oak Hill Capital Partners.

About American Van Equipment

Headquartered in Lakewood, NJ, American Van Equipment began manufacturing and supplying local companies with ladder racks and van shelving in 1978. American Van operates three showrooms, has a robust online presence at AmericanVan.com and mails millions of catalogs annually to contractors and business owners all across the United States, offering practical storage solutions for vans and trucks. Unlike most catalog/retailers, it also manufactures most of the products it sells.

About Oak Hill Capital Partners

Oak Hill is a private equity firm managing funds with more than $10 billion of capital commitments since inception from leading global endowments and foundations, public and corporate pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies, financial institutions, consultants, and family offices. Over the past 30 years, the professionals at Oak Hill and its predecessors have invested in over 85 significant private equity transactions across broad segments of the U.S. and global economies. Oak Hill applies an industry-focused, theme-based approach to investing in the following sectors: Industrials; Consumer, Retail & Distribution; Media & Communications; and Services. Oak Hill works actively in partnership with management to implement strategic and operational initiatives to create franchise value. For more information, please visit www.oakhillcapital.com .

Contact Information: Lori Jetha  Director of Marketing ljetha@safefleet.net  877.630.7366