Levine Leichtman Capital Partners (“LLCP”), a Los Angeles-based private equity firm, announced that Tronair, Inc., a portfolio company of Levine Leichtman Capital Partners IV, L.P., has successfully completed the strategic acquisition of the commercial towbar and tailstand product lines of WASP, Inc., a provider of non-powered ground support equipment (“GSE”) for the aerospace industry. 

The addition of the commercial towbar and tailstand product lines will expand Tronair’s product portfolio to better support its growing customer base in the commercial aerospace market. Tronair will also leverage its broad distribution network to bring these towbars and tailstands into new markets. The product lines will be sold under the “Tronair” brand and manufactured at Tronair’s headquarters in Holland, Ohio.

Lauren Leichtman, co-founder and CEO of LLCP, commented, “We are always looking for ways to enhance the value of our companies. The acquisition of WASP’s commercial towbar and tailstand product lines is a logical extension of Tronair’s product portfolio. This highly accretive transaction will further cement Tronair’s dominant market position in the GSE industry.”

Harley Kaplan, Tronair’s president and CEO commented, “We are excited to add these well-respected product lines to our existing portfolio of towbars and tailstands. WASP shares Tronair’s organizational commitment to quality, making these products a seamless fit into our organization. Tronair will be able to serve WASP’s customers without any interruption in service.”

About Tronair

Tronair, based in Holland, Ohio, is the global leader in the design, manufacture, and sale of ground support equipment (“GSE”) for business, commercial and military aircraft. Tronair‘s broad and innovative product line of GSE, comprised of over 1,000 SKUs, is used by over 300 unique aircraft platforms. Tronair is the market leader in its core products and market segments, serving leading aircraft OEMs (e.g., Bombardier, Gulfstream, Embraer, Boeing and Airbus), fixed based operators, maintenance and repair providers, corporate hangars, commercial airlines, defense contractors and military airbases around the world.