What Red Arts Capital does

Red Arts Capital is a Chicago-based private equity firm founded in 2015 by Nicholas Antoine and Chad Strader that invests in North American supply chain, logistics, and value-added manufacturing businesses, with a particular focus on family-owned and multi-generational platforms generating $5M+ EBITDA. The firm is notably 100% Black-owned, positioning it among the approximately 12 African-American-owned PE firms out of roughly 4,500 in the United States. Red Arts Capital's portfolio spans logistics (Sunset Pacific Transportation, Radius Logistics, Partners Warehouse, FLEX Logistics), contract packaging (BelPak — formed from the 2025 merger of Coregistics, Proven Partners Group, and Belvika), value-added manufacturing (KKSP Precision Machining), and distribution (Freshway Foods, Forestwood Farm), with ten or more active portfolio companies and operations spanning the U.S. and Canada.\n\nThe firm's revenue model is standard institutional private equity: it earns management fees (typically 1–2% of committed capital) and carried interest (typically 20% above a hurdle rate) on Red Arts Capital Opportunity Fund I, L.P., its debut commingled fund which closed at $270 million-plus in May 2023, exceeding its original $225 million target. Red Arts does not sell products or software; its proprietary "platform" is a 19-person team supported by an executive advisory board and operating partners drawn from C.H. Robinson, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, DHL, Aramark, Atkore, Tyco, and other sector leaders. Distribution is exclusively direct institutional fundraising through family offices, endowments, and qualified purchasers, with deal sourcing driven by founder networks, the Red Arts Institute thought-leadership platform, and relationship-based outreach.\n\nThe firm has demonstrated execution credibility through a $150 million divestiture of MME to Knight-Swift Transportation (740% gross / 620% net return over five years), a 2022 GP-led secondary recapitalization of Sunset Pacific with Prudential Private Capital (top-quartile return), and an active 2024–2025 acquisition cadence spanning fresh food, precision machining, and produce distribution alongside the BelPak consolidation. Endorsements from John W. Rogers Jr. (Ariel Investments), Mario Gabelli, and John Canning (Madison Dearborn Partners) provided early credibility and capital. The legal entity is Red Arts Capital Management, LLC, governed under Illinois law.

Name

Red Arts Capital

Legal name

Red Arts Capital Management, LLC

Website

https://redartscapital.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Red Arts Capital is a Chicago-based private equity firm founded in 2015 that invests in North American supply chain, logistics, and value-added manufacturing businesses, managing a $270M+ debut fund and a portfolio of ten or more operating companies across the U.S. and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Equity / Investment Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Financial Investment Activities (5239), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Institutional Capital Introduction (LP/Family Office/Endowment Matching) (FSAEALAI)

Keywords

• Private equity firm
• Supply chain investment
• Logistics investment
• Growth equity
• Portfolio management

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

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: Red Arts Capital operates as a private equity firm raising commingled funds from institutional investors. The firm earns management fees (typically 1-2% of committed capital) and carried interest (20% of profits above a hurdle rate) on its Red Arts Capital Opportunity Fund I LP vehicle.
2. Investment Returns: The firm generates returns through capital appreciation of portfolio companies, realized exits (such as the $150M sale of MME to Knight-Swift), and ongoing portfolio value creation through operational improvements and add-on acquisitions.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Red Arts Capital is a Chicago-based private equity firm that raises commingled funds from institutional investors and invests in North American supply chain and logistics businesses. The firm acquires and operates portfolio companies across logistics, value-added manufacturing, packaging, aerospace & defense, and business services. It generates returns through management fees, carried interest, and capital appreciation from portfolio exits such as the $150M sale of MME to Knight-Swift.

Product overview

Red Arts Capital is a private equity investment firm, not a product company. The firm operates a portfolio of supply chain and logistics businesses rather than a unified product platform. The portfolio includes multiple distinct brands across six sectors: Logistics (Partners Warehouse, FLEX Logistics, Radius Logistics, Sunset Pacific Transportation), Contract Logistics (BelPak, formed from Coregistics, Proven Partners Group, and Belvika), Value-Added Manufacturing (KKSP Precision Machining), and Distribution (Freshway Foods). These portfolio companies operate independently while sharing Red Arts Capital's investment and stewardship approach. The firm also manages a Red Arts Institute for thought leadership and an investor portal for fund operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Red Arts Capital Opportunity Fund I, L.P.
• Red Arts Institute

Quantifiable outcome

• 740% gross return (620% net) on MME exit to Knight-Swift over 5 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 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 minor and core.

• Greenberg Traurig, LLPminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 23 June 2022Served as legal counsel for Red Arts Capital on the Coregistics acquisition transaction.
• Republic PartnersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 23 June 2022Served as financial advisor to Coregistics in the acquisition by Red Arts Capital.
• Ariel Investments / John W. Rogers Jr.coreOthersJohn W. Rogers Jr., founder of Ariel Investments, mentored co-founder Nicholas Antoine and provided early credibility and connections. Red Arts' founding story includes Rogers' introduction and support.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NewSpring Capital: Lower middle-market PE firm with multiple strategy funds covering business services, healthcare, and industrials. NewSpring's sector-specialist approach and fund-of-funds parallel structure are comparable to Red Arts' focused model.
• Huron Capital Partners: Detroit-based lower middle-market PE firm executing buyouts in business services, consumer, and industrial sectors. Huron's ExecFactor operating partner model and lower-middle-market focus are highly comparable to Red Arts' structure.
• Pritzker Private Capital: Family-led PE firm partnering with founder- and family-owned businesses. PPC's emphasis on long-term partnership with family sellers and lower middle-market industrials directly parallels Red Arts' value proposition.
• Sterling Group: Houston-based private equity firm focused on industrial, transportation, and supply chain businesses. Sterling's lower middle-market buyout approach with operating partner involvement closely mirrors Red Arts' sector-focused model and $200M-$500M check size.
• Shoreline Equity Partners: Lower middle-market PE firm focused on industrials, transportation, and logistics. Shoreline's sector overlap with Red Arts, including specialty distribution and supply chain assets, makes it a close strategic comparable.
• Incline Equity Partners: Pittsburgh-based PE firm investing in lower middle-market consumer, industrial, and business services companies. Incline's sector breadth, founder-friendly orientation, and add-on acquisition playbook parallel Red Arts' approach.
• Trilantic North America: Private equity firm with deep industrial and business services franchise, including logistics and supply chain investments. Trilantic's sector specialism, family/founder orientation, and middle-market check size are directly comparable to Red Arts' strategy.
• Brentwood Associates: Private equity firm focused on consumer, retail, and industrial growth companies. Brentwood's sector focus areas overlap with Red Arts' distribution, packaging, and consumer-adjacent supply chain investments.

Broad incumbents

• Gryphon Investors: Lower middle-market PE firm with a broader portfolio across consumer, healthcare, and industrials. Gryphon is meaningfully larger than Red Arts but pursues comparable lower-middle-market buyouts with operating value creation.
• KKR (Industrial & Logistics vertical): Global alternative asset manager with substantial supply chain, logistics, and industrial holdings (e.g., BMC Stock, etc.). KKR operates at far greater scale but competes for the same supply chain investment opportunities as Red Arts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/red-arts-capital

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A8 records

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Red Arts Capital