What The Mendota Group does

The Mendota Group is a Madison, Wisconsin-based private investment firm founded in 2000 by R. Curtis Burgess that acquires small manufacturing and value-added distribution businesses facing ownership transition. The firm invests in companies with revenue under $20 million that have positive cash flows and operate in mature, stable markets; current portfolio companies include Jor-Mac (metal fabrication), Fiberdome Products (fiberglass), IFH Group (fuel and hydraulic tanks), Driv-Lok (press-fit fasteners), Debron Industrial Electronics (electronics manufacturing), Preston Eastin (welding and thermal-spray positioning), and Wisconsin Coil Spring, with eight prior investments realized through exit. The firm targets Fortune 1000 OEM customers across rail, industrial, defense, automotive, aerospace, energy, construction, agriculture, medical, and consumer end-markets, primarily in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The firm's core capability is providing operational and financial partnership to mid-market industrial management teams during succession events. Beyond capital, the firm contributes hands-on support in hiring, managing, and compensating personnel, fresh-perspective operational guidance, and access to an established network of capital providers (including co-investors such as Capital for Business and InvestAmerica Investment Advisors) willing to match the firm's patient timeline for growth and economic cycles.

The Mendota Group generates returns through acquiring businesses, improving operations, growing revenue, and realizing returns on exit or ongoing portfolio performance. Deal sourcing is sales-led, relying on direct outreach and industry relationships channeled through its website, industry events, and a referral network. The firm is a boutique operation of 1-10 employees running a selectively concentrated portfolio rather than building scale for its own sake.

Name

The Mendota Group

Legal name

The Mendota Group

Website

https://themendotagroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Mendota Group is a Madison, Wisconsin private investment firm founded in 2000 that acquires small manufacturing and value-add distribution companies (typically under $20MM in revenue) facing ownership transition, partnering operationally with their management teams. It currently holds seven portfolio companies serving industrial OEMs across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Equity / Lower Middle-Market Buyouts

akta.pro primary industry

Management Buyout / Management Buy-In (MBO/MBI) (FSANABAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Secondaries & Portfolio Liquidity Programs (FSANAHAO)

Keywords

• Small business private equity
• Ownership transition investing
• Lower middle market acquisitions
• Manufacturing buyouts
• Value-added distribution investing

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Private equity / investment returns: The firm generates returns through acquiring businesses, improving operations, increasing revenue, and realizing appropriate returns for investors upon exit or ongoing portfolio performance.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Mendota Group is a private investment firm that acquires manufacturing and value-added distribution businesses with revenue under $20MM that are facing ownership transition. The firm deploys its own capital alongside investor capital, partners hands-on with incumbent management teams to improve operations and grow revenue, and realizes returns for investors through exit or ongoing portfolio performance. The portfolio spans metal fabrication, fiberglass products, fluid handling tanks, fastening components, electronics manufacturing, welding positioning equipment, and precision springs serving industrial OEM customers.

Product overview

The Mendota Group is a private equity firm that invests in manufacturing and value-added distribution companies facing ownership transition. The firm acquires businesses under $20MM in revenue with positive cash flows and provides flexible capital structures for growth. The company's portfolio comprises diverse industrial product manufacturers including metal fabricators (Jor-Mac), fiberglass product makers (Fiberdome Products), fluid handling tank manufacturers (IFH Group), fastening component makers (Driv-Lok), electronics manufacturers (Debron Industrial Electronics), welding equipment producers (Preston Eastin), precision spring manufacturers (Wisconsin Coil Spring), and past investments in automation software (WEM Automation), metal door manufacturers (Door Engineering), storm shelter makers (American Safety Shelter), pool equipment producers (Spectrum Products), and oil-water separator manufacturers (Universal Separators). These portfolio companies serve aerospace, automotive, defense, energy, industrial, construction, agriculture, medical, and consumer markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jor-Mac Company Wisconsin-based integrated supply chain partner providing OEMs with end-to-end outsourcing of metal fabricating, painting, and assembly requirements for rail, industrial, backup power, HVAC, agriculture, and electrical enclosures markets.
• Fiberdome Products Key supplier to large OEMs manufacturing highly engineered fiberglass products for defense, fueling, construction, agriculture, and recreational vehicle markets.
• IFH Group Manufacturer of custom steel fuel and hydraulic oil tanks for off-road and specialty vehicles, including heavy terrain forklifts, earth boring equipment, boom cranes, back hoes, grounds keeping equipment, end loaders, and hay bailers; tank capacities range from 1 to more than 300 gallons in steel, stainless steel, aluminum, or aluminized steel.
• Driv-Lok Manufacturer of a broad range of press-fit fastening and joining components including spring pins, grooved pins, dowel pins, and barbed pins for leading automotive, industrial, and medical OEMs, with specialization in engineered application-specific "specials" as well as standard parts through stocking distributors.
• Debron Industrial Electronics Full-service turnkey provider of value-added electronics manufacturing for industrial, automotive, aerospace, and energy end-markets. Offers design, layout, engineering, and manufacturing of electronic controls, box-build assemblies, kitting, packaging, and direct delivery to end-customers.
• Preston Eastin, Inc. Designer and manufacturer of positioning equipment for the welding and thermal spray industries, offering manual, electric, and robotic configurations in standard and custom designs.
• Wisconsin Coil Spring, LLC Full-service manufacturer of high-quality precision compression, extension, garter, and torsion springs as well as wire forms and flat forms, serving automotive, aerospace, consumer products, construction equipment, lawn and garden, and electrical power systems markets as a contract manufacturer.

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• CORE Industrial Partners: Chicago-based private equity firm focused exclusively on industrial manufacturing and value-added distribution businesses, often acquiring founder/owner-transitioned platforms. Directly comparable in niche, target size, and operating model to The Mendota Group.
• Wynnchurch Capital: Lower middle market PE firm specializing in industrial manufacturing and value-added distribution companies. Comparable in target sector and size band to Mendota, though typically executing larger transactions.
• Mainsail Partners: Private equity firm focused on founder-led industrial and specialty manufacturing businesses in the lower middle market. Directly comparable in targeting ownership transitions and growth-stage manufacturing companies.
• Incline Equity Partners: Lower middle market PE firm investing in differentiated manufacturing, distribution, and business services companies. Comparable in target profile to Mendota's owner-transitioned industrial platform strategy.
• O2 Investment Partners: Lower middle market PE firm focused on niche industrial manufacturing and specialty distribution businesses, often partnering with founder-owners through ownership transitions. Directly comparable in target size and operating partnership model.
• Huron Capital Partners: Lower middle market PE firm focused on businesses in the industrial and consumer products sectors. Comparable in geographic concentration (Midwest U.S.) and target size to The Mendota Group.
• Shoreline Equity Partners: Lower middle market PE firm focused on industrial and consumer products companies, often partnering with management teams. Comparable in execution style and target size band.

Broad incumbents

• Stonepeak Partners: Large-scale private investment firm with industrial exposure, including manufacturing and infrastructure. While not directly comparable in deal size, it represents a broader incumbent player in the industrial investment space.

Regional players

• BluWave Capital Partners: Lower middle market PE firm, sometimes with manufacturing focus. Comparable in transaction size and operating philosophy though may operate in different geographies.

Others

• Capital for Business: Established co-investment partner of The Mendota Group in portfolio companies such as Preston Eastin. A niche lower middle market investment firm focused on small businesses, representing a financial partner in the same ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-mendota-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A4 records

Investments4 records

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

Frequently asked questions about The Mendota Group