Titusville, FL-based Eckler’s Enterprises was sold to Los Angeles-based equity firm Century Park Capital Partners on June 30. Eckler’s, which has annual sales of $50 million, had been owned by another private equity group, St. Louis-based Harbour Group.
Eckler’s sells auto aftermarket parts for Corvettes and other classic Chevy automobiles. During the past few years it had acquired: Classic Chevy International and Late Great Chevy. “Prior to 2002, we were Corvette-only. Then in the fall of 2002 we bought Classic Chevy,” says president Ed Mills. The company later created spin-off catalogs selling Camaro and Chevy truck parts.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. New York-based investment bank Goldsmith Agio Helms represented Eckler’s in the deal. Says Marty Jelenko, managing partner for Century Park Capital: “Eckler’s has one of the finest management teams and is engaged in one of the best businesses I have seen in my 30-plus years in the M&A business. On a scale of management ranging from 1 to 10, we view theirs as a 15.”
Eckler’s mails about 1.5 million catalogs a year. For now, its mail plan won’t change much, Mills says. “We’re still heavy into Chevy, but now we can look to go into other areas,” such as Mustangs and Ford trucks.