BIG RAPIDS – Tree care in West Michiganan operating company of Grand Arbor Group Inc. of Grand Rapids, was acquired by a professional tree and shrub care company based in New Bedford, NY.
Dan Klaver and Larry Pfeifer, owners of West Michigan Tree Services, and the company’s employees will remain with the company following the sale to a private equity firm SavATree LLC.
In a statement, the owners said they felt interested in a deal with SavATree, which they described as “the highest quality leader in our industry” because the company maintains the “local vibe” of its acquired businesses.
West Michigan Tree Services provides tree care, pruning, tree removal, and stump crushing, as well as property and property clearance services throughout the West Michigan area, including Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Allegan, Kalamazoo, and Van Buren counties.
According to a statement, the deal fits with SavATree’s growth strategy of consolidating local tree, shrub and lawn care businesses and sharing back office resources and staff.
“West Michigan Tree Services is a respected company in the West Michigan area that shares many of SavATree’s core values and commitment to world-class care,” SavATree CEO Carmine Schiavon said in a statement. “We are very pleased to continue the company’s legacy and to support its customers with expanded service offerings and science-based treatment options.”
The terms of the contract were not disclosed.
According to a report in the journal Landscape Management, the transaction is the ninth for SavATree in 2022.
The West Michigan Tree Services deal adds a third Michigan operation to SavATree, which was founded in 1978 and became a London-based portfolio company in August 2021 Apax Funds LLP. At the time, Apax Funds said it planned to “accelerate the firm’s already impressive growth trajectory, both organically and through strategic mergers and acquisitions, while continuing to provide the highest level of client care and service.”
Investment banking firm based out of Grand Rapids Charter Capital Partners advised West Michigan Tree Services on the deal.
“We could see that SavATree was the perfect partner for West Michigan Tree Services and were delighted to connect and facilitate a transaction that ensured both parties achieved their goals,” said Mike Brown, Managing Director of Charter Capital, in an explanation. “We are excited to see how this merger will contribute to the further growth of SaveATree.”
mibiz.com
https://mibiz.com/sections/small-business/west-michigan-tree-services-sells-to-pe-backed-firm
