What Shorehill Capital does

Shorehill Capital is a Chicago-based private equity firm founded in 1993 that makes control equity investments in lower middle market industrial companies across North America. The firm invests alongside management teams in three target sub-sectors: engineered industrial products, industrial services, and value-added distribution, targeting platform companies with enterprise values between $20 million and $150 million and add-on acquisitions of any size. Shorehill operates from a single Chicago headquarters and is led by co-founders Dave Hawkins and Brian Simmons, supported by a team of approximately 14 professionals including Managing Directors, Principals, Associates, a CFO/CCO, and a Marketing Manager, supplemented by a 60+ Executive Advisor network providing sector-specific operating expertise.

The firm's primary product is its Shorehill Private Equity II LP, an oversubscribed $260 million fund closed in November 2023. Shorehill's investment approach centers on a "Business Builder" framework, combining capital for growth, management team partnership, and operational improvement through systematic value creation initiatives across human capital, performance improvement, strategic growth, and capital markets. The firm employs a direct sourcing model with Managing Directors and Principals actively developing relationships with intermediaries (investment bankers, business brokers, wealth managers, attorneys, accountants) and calling on prospective sellers. Over its 30+ year history, the team has completed more than 100 transactions and deployed over $1 billion of capital.

Shorehill's current portfolio comprises eight active platform companies spanning industrial distribution (Belt Power, Ascent Lifting, Triad Technologies, Flexpak), industrial manufacturing (Functional Devices, Estex Manufacturing, Tribus Aerospace), and electric utility products (Power Grid Components). The firm generates revenue through management fees on committed fund capital and carried interest from portfolio exits, having recently exited Belt Power to Platte River Equity (2022), Power Grid Components to Blackstone Energy Transition Partners (2023), and Functional Devices to L Squared Capital Partners (2026). Shorehill has been recognized by Inc. magazine as a Founder-Friendly Investor for seven consecutive years (2019-2025), the only Chicago-based firm to achieve this distinction.

Name

Shorehill Capital

Legal name

Shorehill Capital LLC

Website

https://www.shorehillcapital.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shorehill Capital is a Chicago-based private equity firm founded in 1993 that invests alongside management teams in lower middle market North American industrial companies with enterprise values of $20-$150 million, managing a $260 million fund focused on engineered products, industrial services, and value-added distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Equity Investment Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Platform Buy-and-Build / Roll-Up Buyout (FSANABAI)

Keywords

• Private equity investments
• Industrial buyout investing
• Lower middle market
• Control equity investments
• Value-added distribution investing

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

Revenue model

1. Fund Management: Management fees from managing Shorehill Private Equity II LP ($260 million committed capital fund), plus carried interest from successful portfolio company exits.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Shorehill Capital is a Chicago-based private equity firm that makes control equity investments in North American lower middle market industrial companies with enterprise values of $20-$150 million. The firm invests in three core sectors: engineered industrial products, industrial services, and value-added distribution, operating through its oversubscribed $260 million Shorehill Private Equity II LP fund and partnering shoulder-to-shoulder with management teams to drive long-term value creation.

Product overview

Shorehill Capital is a Chicago-based private equity firm offering control equity investment products through its $260 million Fund II. The firm invests in North American engineered industrial products, industrial services, and value-added distribution companies with enterprise values from $20 million to $150 million. The investment strategy is executed through nine portfolio companies spanning industrial distribution, manufacturing, and services sectors: Belt Power (conveyor components), Functional Devices (building automation electronics), Power Grid Components (electric utility products), Tribus Aerospace (precision aerospace machining), Ascent Lifting (lifting/rigging products), Flexpak (packaging supplies), Triad Technologies (fluid power distribution), and Estex Manufacturing (industrial sewn products). The firm operates a 'Business Builder' approach, partnering with management teams to accelerate growth and improve operational performance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shorehill Private Equity II LP A $260 million committed fund making control equity investments in North American engineered industrial products, industrial services, and value-added distribution companies with enterprise values ranging from $20 million to $150 million, and add-ons of any size.
• Belt Power Holdings LLC A leading full-service distributor and fabricator of lightweight conveyor system components including conveyor belts, equipment, accessories, and rubber, hose and gasket products, serving food processing and light industrial markets through multiple locations.
• Functional Devices Inc. A leading US-based designer and manufacturer of relays, power supplies, transformers, sensors, enclosures and wireless devices utilizing the RIB brand for the building automation, HVAC, lighting controls, fire & safety, and energy management industries.
• Power Grid Components Inc. A supplier of high-quality porcelain, glass and polymer insulators, and instrument transformers for revenue metering and protective relaying to electric utilities, substation manufacturers and other customers supporting the North American electric power grid.
• Tribus Aerospace LLC A precision machining company focused on supplying mission critical components in turbine engine, motion control and flow control applications primarily for the aerospace and defense industries.
• Ascent Lifting Inc.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ transactions completed over 30+ years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Platte River Equity: Denver-based PE firm focused on lower middle market industrial and industrial distribution companies. Directly comparable to Shorehill given both pursue control equity investments in similar sector niches and Platte River acquired Belt Power from Shorehill in 2022.
• L Squared Capital Partners: Newport Beach-based PE firm focused on lower middle market industrial and business services companies. Highly comparable to Shorehill in fund size (~$840M Fund IV), sector focus, and deal size; acquired Functional Devices from Shorehill in February 2026.
• Wynnchurch Capital: Chicago-based PE firm specializing in lower middle market industrial and business services companies. Direct competitor to Shorehill in the same geography with similar control equity strategies targeting industrial niches with EV ranges broadly comparable to Shorehill's $20-150mm.
• Pfingsten Partners: Chicago-based PE firm focused on lower middle market management buyouts and recapitalizations of industrial products and consumer products companies. Operates in similar EV range and sector focus as Shorehill, making it a direct geographic and sector competitor.
• Pritzker Private Capital: Chicago-based PE firm focused on control equity investments in middle market industrial and consumer products companies. Comparable to Shorehill in sector focus, geography, and partnership approach with founder/management teams.
• Blue Point Capital Partners: Cleveland-based PE firm focused on lower middle market industrial, distribution, and business services companies. Direct competitor with similar control equity strategy and overlapping sector focus on engineered industrial products and value-added distribution.
• Hammond Kennedy Whitney: Indianapolis-based PE firm focused on industrial and consumer products companies in the lower middle market. Comparable fund size, sector focus (engineered industrial products, industrial distribution), and platform-plus-add-on strategy.
• GenNx360 Capital Partners: New York-based PE firm focused on industrial and business services companies in the middle market. Comparable control equity strategy targeting founder-led industrial businesses with similar EV ranges.
• Telegraph Hill Partners: San Francisco-based PE firm focused on lower middle market industrial technology and industrial growth companies. Comparable to Shorehill in fund size and middle market industrial focus, though with somewhat different sub-sector emphasis.

Broad incumbents

• Blackstone Energy Transition Partners: Global PE platform focused on energy transition infrastructure and industrial companies. Less directly comparable due to scale, but acquired Power Grid Components from Shorehill in 2023, validating Shorehill's portfolio strategy and demonstrating the buyer universe for industrial PE assets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shorehill-capital-llc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A4 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Shorehill Capital