Auxo Investment Partners

What Auxo Investment Partners does

Auxo Investment Partners is a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based private investment firm founded in October 2016 by Jeff Helminski, Jack Kolodny, and Fred Tedori, all former Blackford Capital executives and industrial operators. The firm acquires and operates founder- and family-owned industrial, manufacturing, and business services companies with EBITDA between $2.0 million and $20.0 million, organizing capital around specialized platform builds rather than one-off transactions.

The firm's capital base consists of two vehicles: Auxo Growth Holdings I, a $50 million fund closed in 2018, and Michigan Opportunity Fund I, a $100 million fund closed in 2022 that drew 76 limited partners alongside select family offices from Fund I. Auxo currently oversees roughly 16 portfolio companies across multiple specialized platforms, supported by approximately 15 active team members plus a Senior Advisor bench, and targets approximately 600 qualified deals per year through its sourcing network. Recent activity includes the firm's first Canadian platform acquisition, Cariboo Rail (August 2023), and continued U.S. deal flow with Southeast Vegetation Management (January 2025) and Bay Cast (May 2025); two portfolio exits—M/G Transport in 2022 and Andrie in 2024—have been realized to date. Investor reporting and LP administration run through the Juniper Square investor portal.

Auxo earns revenue from three primary streams: recurring management fees on committed and invested capital across both funds, transaction and advisory fees generated by ongoing portfolio acquisitions, and carried interest crystallized upon portfolio exits. Steady-state revenue is therefore sensitive to the deployment pace of Michigan Opportunity Fund I, the timing of realizations from the remaining portfolio, and the firm's ability to raise a successor vehicle.

Name

Auxo Investment Partners

Legal name

Auxo Investment Partners

Website

http://www.auxopartners.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Auxo Investment Partners is a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based private equity firm founded in 2016 that acquires and operates founder- and family-owned industrial, manufacturing, and business services companies with $2-$20 million EBITDA across 16+ portfolio platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Equity / Lower-Middle-Market Investment Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Micro-PE / Lower Middle Market ETA Funds (FSANALAG)

Keywords

• Private equity investing
• Lower-middle market investments
• Family business succession
• Industrial manufacturing acquisitions
• Operational private equity

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private Equity Fund Management (Auxo Growth Holdings I): Inaugural fund launched October 2016 with $50M target, closed at hard cap in fall 2018 with $50M from family offices and institutional investors. Combined with direct co-investment from family offices and modest leverage, the fund deploys approximately $150 million of equity in 10 to 15 companies over three years. Founding Partners invest in the firm itself and share in all economic benefits including carried interest and fees.
2. Michigan Opportunity Fund I: $100 million private equity fund launched February 2021 in collaboration with Doug and Maria DeVos family office and other prominent Michigan families. Raised from 76 Michigan-based investors to deploy capital into Michigan-based businesses. Managed by Auxo Investment Partners with same founding-partner structure.
3. Portfolio Company Exits (Capital Appreciation): Realized returns through successful exits of portfolio companies including sale of M/G Transport Services to Maritime Partners (2022) and sale of Andrie to Rand Logistics (2024). M/G Transport was acquired in November 2017 and held for approximately five years.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Auxo Investment Partners is a lower-middle-market private equity firm that raises capital from family offices and institutional investors through dedicated fund vehicles, then deploys that capital as majority-control and flexible equity/debt investments into North American founder- and family-owned industrial, manufacturing, value-added distribution, transportation, and business services companies with $2-20 million of EBITDA. The firm operates as both a fund manager (charging management fees and carried interest) and an operational owner (providing hands-on support through a dedicated operations team) across two flagship funds: a $50M debut fund and a $100M Michigan-focused fund.

Product overview

Auxo Investment Partners is a privately-held, operationally-focused lower-middle-market private investment firm (not a SaaS/product company) whose "products" are its private equity fund vehicles and its portfolio of industrial, manufacturing, and business-services companies. The firm operates two flagship fund products: Auxo Growth Holdings I LLC, a $50 million debut fund closed in September 2018, and the Michigan Opportunity Fund I, a $100 million fund backed by Michigan investors (including Doug and Maria DeVos' family office) that targets Michigan-based companies. Within its portfolio, Auxo organizes companies into named platform brands: Auxo Die Holdings (cutting-die manufacturing — Atlas Die, AtlasFlex, Bernal, Midway Rotary Die Solutions, GC Dies, DieCraft Engineering & Manufacturing, Atlas Chem-Milling); Precision Products Group (PPG) (spiral-wound/extruded tubular products and pharmaceutical packaging — Paramount Tube, Euclid Medical Products, Breyden Products, Cindus Corporation, Saylor Technical Products); the wire harness & cable assembly platform (Golden State Assembly/Veza, SOS Manufacturing, Tack Electronics, Morgan Royce Industries); Auxo Marine / rail services (Genesis Rail Services, Ferrovia, Southeast Vegetation Management, Cariboo Central Rail Services); and standalone brands including Altus Industries (medical workstations), Avon Machining (precision gears), Bay Cast (heavy steel castings & machining), Prestige Stamping, Securit Metal Products, and Telos (press hardening). Exited holdings include Atlas Die, Bernal, Andrie, M/G Transport Services and Exponential Health. Auxo's investor portal is hosted via Juniper Square; the firm integrates Google Analytics and embedded Google Maps on its marketing site.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Auxo Die Holdings: Platform of industry-leading cutting die manufacturers including Atlas Die, AtlasFlex, Bernal Rotary Dies, Midway Rotary Die Solutions, DieCraft Engineering & Manufacturing and GC Dies.
• Auxo Marine
• Precision Products Group (PPG)
• Genesis Rail Company
• Auxo Michigan Opportunity Fund
• Auxo Growth Holdings

Products and services

• Auxo Growth Holdings I Debut $50 million private equity fund that closed at hard cap in September 2018; raised from family offices and institutional investors; deployed across industrial, manufacturing, value-added distribution, transportation, and business services companies in North America.
• Auxo Michigan Opportunity Fund I $100 million private equity fund raised from 76 Michigan-based investors (anchored by Doug and Maria DeVos family office) to deploy Michigan capital from Michigan investors into Michigan-based founder- and family-owned businesses; managed by Auxo Investment Partners with the same founding-partner alignment structure.

Quantifiable outcome

• $50 million first fund (Auxo Growth Holdings I) closed in fall 2018; combined with co-investment deploys ~$150 million of equity in 10-15 companies
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered strategic.

• Rand LogisticsstrategicOthers · 1 July 2024Acquired Andrie (Great Lakes marine transportation company) from Auxo Investment Partners, marking successful exit of investment made in 2018 through Auxo Growth Holdings I. Rand Logistics is a dry bulk shipping group operating on the Great Lakes; this acquisition expanded its operations into liquid bulk shipping. Andrie operates a fleet of owned and managed vessels working throughout the Great Lakes region.
• Maritime PartnersstrategicOthers · 1 April 2022Purchased M/G Transport Services (marine transportation company in New Orleans) from Auxo Investment Partners, representing a successful exit for Auxo's investment acquired in November 2017. M/G continued to operate as a standalone entity under the M/G brand with management team remaining. Completion followed HSR regulatory review.
• Spectrum Health VenturesstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2021Spectrum Health Ventures joined as a strategic partner in the acquisition of Altus Industries (a Walker-based designer, manufacturer, assembler and marketer of medical point-of-care workstations). As one of Altus's larger customers, Spectrum Health co-invested alongside Auxo through the firm's investment structure, providing market validation and customer relationship continuity.
• Mark MurraystrategicOthers · 1 October 2016Senior Advisor to Auxo Investment Partners since the firm's launch in October 2016. Meijer, Inc. Vice-Chairman and former Michigan state treasurer. Brings expertise in governmental affairs, business, and civic leadership to the firm.
• Samuel Valenti IIIstrategicOthersSenior Advisor to Auxo Investment Partners. Serves as CEO of Valenti Capital and World Capital Partners; Chairman of TriMas Corporation (NASDAQ: TRS), Director of American Axle & Manufacturing (NYSE: AXL) and Director of Horizon Global Corporation (NYSE: HZN). Former 40+ year senior executive and corporate officer of Masco Corporation (NYSE: MAS), including as President of Masco Capital Corporation. Former Chairman of the Investment Advisory Board of the $50 billion State of Michigan retirement system. Provides extensive knowledge in management of diversified manufacturing businesses and subject matter expertise in finance, economics, corporate governance, and asset management.
• Dominick SchianostrategicOthersSenior Advisor to Auxo Investment Partners who supports the firm by sourcing investment opportunities and providing strategic, operational, and financial guidance with respect to portfolio company investments. President and co-founding Partner of Evergreen Capital Partners LLC. Previously Vice Chairman - Global Industrial Partners at DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (the private equity arm of Credit Suisse). Managing Director and member of the Investment Committee of Questor Partners Funds. Six-Sigma Champion with extensive operating experience at Textron, TRW, Wickes Companies, and Gulf+Western Industries.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blackford Capital: Grand Rapids, Michigan-based lower-middle market private equity firm. Auxo's two co-founders (Helminski, Kolodny) were former Blackford Capital Managing Directors, making it the closest direct comparable in geography, size, and founder/family-owned business thesis.
• Huron Capital Partners: Detroit-based lower-middle market PE firm investing in founder- and family-owned businesses with $2–20M EBITDA. Direct geographic and strategic peer to Auxo, with overlapping industrial and business services focus and similar buy-and-build platform approach.
• Resilience Capital Partners: Cleveland-based lower-middle market PE firm focused on industrial, manufacturing, and business services companies. Highly comparable to Auxo in target company profile, deal size, and operating-value-add model, with a similar multi-platform approach in the Midwest industrial base.
• Aterian Investment Partners: New York-based private equity firm focused on lower-middle market industrial, distribution, and business services businesses. Directly comparable to Auxo in sector focus, EBITDA range, and platform-build strategy, though Aterian typically deploys larger equity checks.
• Peninsula Capital Partners: Detroit-based lower-middle market PE firm investing in industrial, business services, and value-added distribution companies. Strong direct peer to Auxo given shared Michigan roots, similar target EBITDA range, and parallel focus on family/founder-owned businesses.
• Frontenac Company: Chicago-based private equity firm focused on lower-middle market family- and founder-owned businesses. Comparable to Auxo in target company profile, founder-friendly approach, and industrial/services sector focus, with a similar partnership-style operating model.
• Lake Country Capital: Wisconsin-based lower-middle market PE firm investing in industrial, manufacturing, and business services companies across the Upper Midwest. Comparable to Auxo in regional industrial focus, target company size, and founder/family-owned business thesis.

Broad incumbents

• Wynnchurch Capital: Larger lower-middle market PE firm specializing in industrial, manufacturing, and business services companies. Comparable to Auxo in industrial vertical and buy-and-build playbook, but operates at meaningfully greater AUM and can therefore compete for larger deals in the same $2–20M EBITDA range.
• KPS Capital Partners: New York-based operationally-focused PE firm investing in industrial and manufacturing businesses. Comparable to Auxo in operating-value-add orientation and industrial sector focus, but operates at significantly larger fund size and is a more direct competitor on platform-build opportunities in the same verticals.

Regional players

• Heartland Industrial Partners: Michigan-based PE firm historically focused on industrial manufacturing companies. Comparable to Auxo in regional industrial focus and operating orientation, though Heartland has historically targeted larger industrial transactions than Auxo's $2–20M EBITDA range.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/auxopartners
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/auxo-investment-partners

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A16 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Auxo Investment Partners