Jones
Jones Capital is a family-owned middle-market private equity firm that acquires and operates 18 portfolio companies across logistics, energy, recycling, lumber, construction, infrastructure and AI/technology, targeting businesses with $2-$20M EBITDA and offering patient capital with flexible holding horizons.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1949
- HeadquartersColumbia, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Jones does
Jones Capital, LLC is a privately held, family-owned middle-market private equity firm headquartered in Hattiesburg, Mississippi (with a secondary headquarters in Houston, Texas), tracing its heritage to the founding of Jones Lumber Company in 1949. The firm positions itself as a "growth-oriented, value-added capital partner" to entrepreneurs and management teams, targeting businesses with $2-$20 million in annual EBITDA and offering transaction structures including succession planning, partner buyouts, ownership transitions, growth capital, equity commitments, and recapitalizations — explicitly differentiating against "arbitrary timelines or rigid framework" of traditional PE. Jones Capital's go-to-market is sales-led, driven by direct outreach and referral networks, with a flexible, patient-capital thesis.
The firm operates through a diversified portfolio of 18 wholly-owned operating subsidiaries spanning four business segments: Transportation & Logistics (Jones Logistics with 700+ employees, 500+ trucks across 25 states; Parade; Rockport Terminals — a 250+ acre multi-modal port); Industrials & Construction (Jones Lumber hardwood mills, Codaray Construction, Big Black River 55,000-acre timberland, Yak Access mats, PWI Supply); Energy & Infrastructure (Jones Power, Dark Horse Electric, Jones Concrete); and Technology & Business Services (Foundation AI for intelligent document processing, Greenscreens.AI for freight market pricing intelligence, TRU for industrial QAQC data digitization, Tax Advisors Group, FV Recycling for commercial/industrial recycling handling 500,000+ tons annually, Portabull cold storage rentals, Portabull Fuel, Alta Arbor horticulture). The portfolio is intentionally horizontally diversified rather than focused on a single vertical.
Jones Capital makes money through two streams: equity investment returns from its middle-market PE activities, and operating revenue from its portfolio companies across logistics services, recycling, lumber production, energy services, construction and technology solutions. It does not publicly disclose fund-level or company-level fee structures, pricing terms, or consolidated revenue. The firm is led by CEO Jonathan Jones (joined 2003), with President Tom Caughlin and CFO Joe Fleece, and a bench of dedicated operating CEOs for major subsidiaries. In 2025 Jones Capital opened a new $40 million four-story corporate headquarters in Midtown Hattiesburg, consolidating its Mississippi operations.
Jones firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Jones
- Legal name
- Jones Capital, LLC
- Website
- https://jones.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1949
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Jones Capital is a family-owned middle-market private equity firm that acquires and operates 18 portfolio companies across logistics, energy, recycling, lumber, construction, infrastructure and AI/technology, targeting businesses with $2-$20M EBITDA and offering patient capital with flexible holding horizons.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Jones industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Equity Investment Management
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Business Services (B2B) Growth Equity (FSANACAD)
Keywords
Where Jones is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Columbia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Jones business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Private Equity Investment Returns: Jones Capital generates returns through equity investments in middle-market businesses, providing capital for growth, recapitalizations, and ownership transitions with the goal of long-term sustainable growth benefiting all stakeholders
- Portfolio Company Operations: Portfolio companies generate revenue through various business operations including logistics services, recycling services, lumber production, energy services, construction, and technology solutions
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Jones product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Jones Capital is a private equity firm that provides growth-oriented, value-added equity capital to middle-market businesses with $2–$20 million in annual EBITDA, partnering with entrepreneurs and management teams on succession planning, partner buyouts, ownership transitions, growth capital, equity commitments, and recapitalizations. The firm maintains a diversified portfolio of wholly-owned operating companies across transportation, logistics, infrastructure, industrials, technology, and business services.
Product overview
Jones Capital is a private equity firm structured as a platform of diverse portfolio companies spanning multiple industries. Rather than a unified software product, Jones Capital operates as an investment management company with subsidiaries in transportation and logistics (Jones Logistics, Parade), energy services (Jones Power, Dark Horse Electric), environmental/recycling (FV Recycling), manufacturing (Jones Lumber, Codaray Construction), natural resources (Big Black River), infrastructure (Rockport Terminals), and technology/AI (Foundation AI, Greenscreens.AI, TRU). The portfolio also includes specialized services like Portabull (cold storage rentals), Portabull Fuel (fuel solutions), Tax Advisors Group (property tax consulting), and Alta Arbor (horticulture). The portfolio companies operate independently while sharing Jones Capital's core values and long-term growth philosophy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Jones Logistics National provider of contracted and dedicated trucking, freight brokerage, and warehousing services offering specialized transportation and logistics solutions for shippers across 25+ states with a fleet of over 500 trucks.
- Jones Power Nationwide provider of energy services including rail and truck logistics, tech-enabled inventory staging and traceability, solar infrastructure and civil construction services, and environmental remediation.
- Jones Lumber Group of hardwood lumber mills focused on producing and selling wood products into the US and Asian markets with over 70 years of industry experience.
- FV Recycling National provider of leasing services for recycling equipment, comprehensive wastepaper marketing, and logistics solutions tailored for large retail stores, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities; handles 500,000+ tons of recyclable materials annually across 16 states.
- Codaray Construction General contractor focused on construction of healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and mixed-use developments, combining construction expertise with high-quality customer service.
- Big Black River Timberland management company with 55,000 acres offering services including timber harvesting, reforestation, forest management, and licensing of land for recreational use.
- Rockport Terminals Multi-modal port facility spanning over 250 acres with unobstructed access to the Intracoastal Waterway, Union Pacific Railway, and key highways, with capacity to store 700+ railcars and accept unit trains.
- Portabull Nationwide equipment rental business specializing in tech-enabled mobile electric cold storage solutions for temperature-controlled space requirements at customer sites.
- Portabull Fuel Provider of tech-enabled fuel tanks ensuring remote worksites have on-site fuel for trucks and machinery, eliminating fuel shortage concerns.
- Tax Advisors Group (TAG) Tech-enabled property tax consulting firm with national reach, specializing in minimizing business and personal property taxes for clients.
- Dark Horse Electric Provider of essential vegetation management and line construction services to investor-owned utilities, electric cooperatives, municipalities, and commercial entities.
- Foundation AI AI-powered document processing platform that identifies, classifies, and extracts critical data from documents to optimize accuracy, automate routing, and streamline operations for organizations with document-intensive workflows.
- Greenscreens.AI Dynamic pricing infrastructure for the freight market that delivers buy and sell-side market intelligence and business insights to help freight brokerages and carriers grow and protect margins.
- Parade Capacity management technology platform for digital freight brokerage teams that connects customers to more carrier capacity to move freight, book loads faster, and grow business.
- TRU Digital data management platform that helps industrial partners modernize data collection for greater accuracy, efficiency, and planning with digitalization tools for QAQC, inventory management, and workflow optimization.
- Alta Arbor Invests in horticulture businesses across the green industry value chain, focusing on long-term partnerships that ensure stability and continuity for portfolio companies in the horticulture sector.
Quantifiable outcome
- Companies recognized as Best Places to Work multiple years (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Jones
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Jones technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Jones partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Alta ArborcoreJones Capital announced a strategic partnership and investment in Alta Arbor, a company that invests in horticulture businesses across the green industry value chain, focusing on long-term partnerships that ensure stability and continuity.
- WillScot Mobile MinicorePortabull Cold Storage was acquired by WillScot Mobile Mini. Portabull was a leading provider of nationwide portable cold storage solutions and a Jones Capital portfolio company.
- CR FuelscoreJones Capital announced the sale of Portabull Fuel Services to CR Fuels, a leading provider of wholesale fuels across the Southeastern United States. CR Fuels was founded in 2018 as a partnership between Rogers Oil Company and Chancellor, Inc.
- Kelly Refrigeration and FreezerminorPortabull Cold Storage acquired Kelly's electric cold storage container fleet and established a Portabull operations hub in the Northeast. Kelly will focus on its primary business of customizing and selling tailor-made cold storage units.
- Nationwide ExpresscoreJones Logistics acquired Nationwide Express, expanding geographic footprint and service offerings. Nationwide provides dedicated trucking services, warehousing, 3PL logistic services, recycling transportation, and waste management solutions across Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.
- Trans4FedminorNew South Access and Environmental Solutions (a Yak Access company) confirmed a partnership agreement with Trans4Fed, a minority-owned licensed general contractor and service provider. Trans4Fed is owned by a Service Disabled American Veteran and provides freight, rental of mats and equipment, and logistical support.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Jones competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Audax Group: Boston-based middle-market private equity firm focused on buy-and-build strategies across business services, industrial, and consumer. Comparable to Jones Capital in its middle-market orientation and platform-building approach across multiple sectors.
- The Sterling Group: Houston-based private equity firm focused on industrial, distribution, and services businesses in the middle market. Closely comparable to Jones Capital given similar Texas/Gulf Coast footprint, industrial-services orientation, and middle-market EBITDA range.
- CIC Partners: Dallas-based private equity firm focused on middle-market consumer and industrial businesses. Comparable to Jones Capital in geographic footprint (Texas), middle-market focus, and diversified sector exposure.
- Norwest Equity Partners: Middle-market private equity firm with diversified holdings across business services, consumer, and industrial growth companies. Comparable to Jones Capital in its diversified middle-market buy-and-build strategy.
- Palladium Equity Partners: Middle-market private equity firm that invests in companies across business services, consumer, industrials, and healthcare. Comparable to Jones Capital in its diversified middle-market focus and operationally-engaged approach.
- Olympus Partners: Stamford-based middle-market private equity firm investing in business services, consumer, and industrial sectors. Comparable to Jones Capital in its diversified multi-sector middle-market approach and long investment horizons.
- Roark Capital Group: Atlanta-based, family-influenced private equity firm focused on franchise and business services companies. Comparable to Jones Capital in its family-backed structure and focus on operationally-led, multi-sector middle-market investments.
- Stone Point Capital: Middle-market private equity firm specializing in financial services and business services. Comparable to Jones Capital in middle-market size, services orientation, and partnership-style investment approach.
- Shoreline Equity Partners: Lower middle-market private equity firm focused on industrial, distribution, and business services companies. Comparable to Jones Capital in target company size and industrial/services orientation.
- Pritzker Private Capital: Family-influenced private equity firm focused on middle-market operating companies across industrials, services, and consumer. Comparable to Jones Capital in its family-backed, long-term capital approach to middle-market businesses.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Jones social profiles
Digital presenceJones financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Jones leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Jones subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries19 records
Jones funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Jones M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Jones
What does Jones do?
Jones Capital is a private equity firm that provides growth-oriented, value-added equity capital to middle-market businesses with $2–$20 million in annual EBITDA, partnering with entrepreneurs and management teams on succession planning, partner buyouts, ownership transitions, growth capital, equity commitments, and recapitalizations. The firm maintains a diversified portfolio of wholly-owned operating companies across transportation, logistics, infrastructure, industrials, technology, and business services.
Is Jones a public or private company?
Jones is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Jones founded?
Jones was founded in 1949. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Jones based?
Jones is headquartered in Columbia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Jones make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Private Equity Investment Returns are the primary driver. The others are portfolio Company Operations.
Who are Jones's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Audax Group, The Sterling Group, CIC Partners, Norwest Equity Partners, Palladium Equity Partners, Olympus Partners, Roark Capital Group, Stone Point Capital, Shoreline Equity Partners and Pritzker Private Capital.
Does Jones have an API?
No public API is recorded for Jones.
What industry is Jones in?
Jones's product category is Private Equity Investment Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANACAD, Business Services (B2B) Growth Equity. Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.