Auto Body Toolmart Acquisition — Rock Gate Partners Website

Rock Gate Partners is pleased to announce the acquisition of American Industrial Direct, d.b.a. Auto Body Toolmart, by its Whitewater Brands platform that is owned in partnership with Peninsula Capital Partners.

Auto Body Toolmart, based in Elgin, Illinois, is a manufacturer and distributor of equipment, tools and supplies to auto body repair shops, technical schools and automotive enthusiasts. Under the Whitewater Brands umbrella, Auto Body Toolmart and its sister companies, Collision Services, I.D.E.A. and Sid Savage, will each continue to serve adjacent markets via common marketing channels while offering approximately 87,000 products to over 200,000 customers.

Rock Gate Partners intends to continue to expand Whitewater’s businesses organically and through add-on acquisitions of unique, niche-oriented automotive-related and non-automotive business-to-business marketing companies.

About Whitewater Brands

Whitewater Brands, Inc., based in Boise, Idaho, is a leading manufacturer, marketer and distributor of essential supplies and equipment to the automotive collision and mechanical repair industries. Auto Body Toolmart, Collision Services, I.D.E.A. and Sid Savage provide administrative supplies, marketing materials, tools and specialized equipment necessary to operate a collision repair, mechanical repair or automotive dealership. Product assortments are differentiated through offering proprietary products specifically designed for served markets. In addition to its automotive aftermarket brands, Whitewater Brands also owns Sole Source which provides personalized marketing and administrative materials to the veterinary, medical, construction and trucking industries.

About Rock Gate Partners

Rock Gate Partners is a Chicago-based private investment firm that acquires lower middle market, ‘mind share’ leaders with unique market positions. Areas of focus include: engineered products; specialty and organic, food beverage and agricultural products; business services; value-added distribution and e-commerce. Rock Gate partners with management teams in buyouts, corporate divestitures, recapitalizations, industry consolidations and later stage growth capital investments. Candidates typically generate $3 to $12 million in EBITDA and EBITDA margins in excess of 10%.

About Peninsula Capital Partners

Peninsula Capital Partners is a Detroit-based investment company specializing in providing junior capital, including subordinated debt, preferred stock or common stock, either as a minority or control investor, to superior middle-market companies. With six investment partnerships totaling approximately $1.6 billion of committed capital, more than 120 investments have been made in a wide range of industries, including aerospace, manufacturing, information technology, industrial and professional services, consumer products, retail, food and distribution.

To learn more, please visit www.rockgatepartners.com or contact Kenneth Ali or Stephen Foutch.