StoneTree Investment Partners

What StoneTree Investment Partners does

StoneTree Investment Partners LLC is a Dallas-based, industrials-focused private equity firm founded in 2021 by Joel Stanwood and Chris Dupré—former investment leaders at American Industrial Partners and Wingate Partners, respectively. The firm manages approximately $200 million in assets under management through its inaugural fund, StoneTree Investment Partners Fund I, LP, which closed at a $155 million hard cap in July 2024, oversubscribed in just over two months of fundraising. StoneTree pursues control equity investments in established lower middle market industrial manufacturing companies headquartered in the U.S. and Canada, targeting businesses with 80+ employees, $40–200 million in revenue, EBITDA up to $15 million, and equity checks up to $125 million. Its current portfolio comprises four wholly-owned partner companies: Power Test (dynamometers and testing systems, acquired April 2022), Viking Engineering & Development (automated assembly equipment for pallet and bedframe production, acquired October 2024), Wilbar Group (aboveground swimming pools, acquired 2025), and Reel Power International (engineered reeling and material handling systems, acquired December 2025).

The firm differentiates through two proprietary frameworks: a "Business Transformation Agenda" collaborative value-creation methodology applied alongside portfolio company management, and an "Investing in People" program that delivers broad-based employee ownership in partnership with Ownership Works. StoneTree supplements its nine-to-fifteen-person investment and operations team with a StoneTree Council of six seasoned industrial CEOs who advise and co-invest, and sources deals through direct CEO/family-owner outreach supported by intermediaries including TKO Miller, Hennepin Partners, and Mesirow Financial. Revenue is generated through traditional private equity economics—management fees on Fund I's $155 million of committed capital plus future carried interest on realized investment returns—with the firm operating from a single headquarters at 8333 Douglas Ave, Dallas, TX, and no parent company, subsidiaries beyond the portfolio, or public listing.

StoneTree is privately held by its founding partners, has no employees beyond its core team and StoneTree Council advisors, and does not disclose firm-level revenue or profitability. Its core platform architecture is its deal-sourcing and operating-partner network; its underlying technology is the institutional governance, value-creation playbook, and employee-ownership infrastructure it deploys across portfolio companies. The customer base consists of two distinct groups: limited partners in Fund I (diversified institutional investors including investment funds, family offices, foundations, pension funds, endowments, and OCIOs) and the industrial management teams and founders who sell control stakes to the firm.

Name

StoneTree Investment Partners

Legal name

StoneTree Investment Partners LLC

Website

https://www.stonetreeinvest.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

StoneTree Investment Partners is a Dallas-based, industrials-focused private equity firm managing approximately $200 million in assets. Founded in 2021, it acquires control stakes in lower middle market U.S. and Canadian industrial manufacturers, with portfolio companies in testing, automation, and engineered equipment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Equity (Industrial Manufacturing)

NAICS

Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399)

SIC

Investors, Nec (6799)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Sector / Generalist Growth Equity (FSANACAO)

Keywords

• Private equity investments
• Industrial manufacturing
• Lower middle market
• Control buyouts
• Business transformation

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fund Management Fees: StoneTree earns management fees on the capital committed to Fund I ($155 million hard cap). The firm charges fees on committed capital to cover operational expenses and generate baseline revenue.
2. Carried Interest / Performance Fees: The firm earns carried interest on investment returns from Fund I. As a control investor in portfolio companies, StoneTree generates returns through operational improvements, growth initiatives, and eventual exits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

StoneTree Investment Partners is an industrials-focused private investment firm that acquires controlling equity interests in lower middle market industrial manufacturing companies headquartered in the US and Canada with 80+ employees, $40-200 million in revenue, and EBITDA up to $15 million. The firm invests through Fund I ($155 million closed at hard cap) and Pre-Fund vehicles, providing capital, operational resources, and a Business Transformation Agenda to drive growth, alongside broad-based employee ownership programs delivered in partnership with Ownership Works.

Product overview

StoneTree Investment Partners is a $200 million AUM industrials-focused private investment firm that offers a single unified investment platform. The firm operates through StoneTree Investment Partners Fund I, LP (a $155 million inaugural fund) and Pre-Fund investments, targeting controlling equity interests in established niche manufacturing and industrial companies in the US and Canada. The firm's portfolio includes five partner companies: Reel Power International (engineered reeling and material handling systems), Power Test (dynamometers and testing systems), Viking Engineering (automated assembly and fastening equipment), and Wilbar Group (aboveground swimming pools). StoneTree differentiates through its 'Investing in People' program offering broad-based employee ownership and its 'Business Transformation Agenda' collaborative value creation framework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• StoneTree Investment Partners Fund I, LP: The firm's inaugural private equity fund with $155 million in capital commitments focused on lower middle market industrial businesses in the US and Canada.

Products and services

• StoneTree Investment Partners Fund I, LP StoneTree's inaugural private equity fund with $155 million in capital commitments, focused on acquiring controlling equity interests in lower middle market industrial businesses in the US and Canada. Available to institutional limited partners.
• Pre-Fund Investments Pre-Fund control investments in established niche manufacturing and industrial companies made prior to the close of Fund I, including Power Test and Viking Engineering.
• Reel Power International Manufacturer of engineered reeling, winding, and material handling systems serving energy, marine, wire and cable, defense, and industrial markets worldwide. Wholly-owned portfolio company of StoneTree Fund I.
• Power Test Industry leader in design, manufacture, and sale of dynamometers, heavy equipment testing systems, and related data acquisition and control systems. Wholly-owned portfolio company of StoneTree.
• Viking Engineering & Development Industry leader in automated assembly and fastening equipment for pallet and bedframe production, serving manufacturers in the wood pallet and bed frame industry. Wholly-owned portfolio company of StoneTree.
• Wilbar Group Leading North American manufacturer of premium aboveground and semi-inground swimming pools, designing and manufacturing high-quality steel, resin, hybrid, and aluminum pool systems. Wholly-owned portfolio company of StoneTree Fund I.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fund I closed at $155 million hard cap, oversubscribed in just over two months
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Ownership WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 September 2025StoneTree partnered with Ownership Works, a nonprofit organization, to launch broad-based employee ownership programs across portfolio companies. This initiative enables employees at every level to share in value they help create, strengthening engagement, retention, and long-term business performance while creating wealth-building opportunities.
• McGuireWoods LLPsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 30 July 2024McGuireWoods served as legal counsel to StoneTree during the Fund I fundraising. The firm has an Emerging Manager Program providing support for GPs throughout fundraising and investing activities.
• StoneTree CouncilcoreOthers · 19 March 2024StoneTree Council is a group of seasoned industrial CEOs (T.J. Rosengarth, Larry Denbrock, Bob Weber, Ken Bloom, Steve Harris, Kurt Langsenkamp) who advise and co-invest alongside StoneTree. Members bring decades of executive experience and deep knowledge of industrial sectors.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Industrial Partners: Industrials-focused PE firm where co-founder Joel Stanwood led investments for a decade across 9 platforms and $500M+ of equity deployed in U.S./Canadian manufacturers. Closest sector-specialist peer and direct lineage to StoneTree's investment approach.
• Wingate Partners: Dallas-based lower middle market PE firm where co-founder Chris Dupré was a Partner working on 20+ transactions. Same geography, same fund size band, and same founder lineage makes this a near-perfect comparable.
• Wynnchurch Capital: Lower middle market industrials-focused PE firm with a similar 'operationally engaged' value creation thesis, comparable fund size band, and a portfolio spanning niche industrial manufacturers — directly comparable on target market and deal profile.
• Platte River Equity: Denver-based lower middle market PE firm focused on industrial manufacturing and value-added distribution. Overlapping investment criteria on company size, geography, and operational improvement thesis make it a close comparable.
• Renovo Capital: Industrials-focused PE firm where Chris Dupré previously worked. Similar lower middle market industrial carve-out and special situations orientation, and shared personnel lineage.
• Trive Capital: Dallas-based PE firm where StoneTree VP Chase Gosselin previously served as Vice President. Comparable lower middle market size band with industrial and business services exposure.
• Frontenac Company: Chicago-based lower middle market PE firm investing in founder/family-owned and closely-held businesses, including industrials. Comparable on transaction profile, founder-led deal sourcing, and operational partnership approach.

Broad incumbents

• Audax Group: Larger, established lower middle market PE firm investing across multiple sectors including industrials. Comparable target market and deal size band, but significantly larger AUM and broader sector mandate.
• Lone Star Funds: Dallas-headquartered global alternative investment firm with substantial PE activity. Comparable only in geography and broad PE/industrials overlap; far larger and operates across multiple strategies.

Others

• Pacenote Capital: New York-based placement agent specializing in emerging and diverse private equity fund managers that served as StoneTree's exclusive placement agent for Fund I. Not a competitor but a closely linked ecosystem participant that will likely support future fundraises.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stonetreeinvest

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about StoneTree Investment Partners