The Sterling Group to Sell Velcon Filters, LLC to Parker Hannifin Corporation

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Oct 05, 2012, 12:04 ET

HOUSTON, Oct. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sterling Group, a middle market private equity firm based in Houston, Texas, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its portfolio company, Velcon Filters, LLC to Parker Hannifin Corporation (NYSE: PH). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

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Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Velcon is a niche manufacturer of filtration systems, including vessels and replacement cartridges, which meet specific requirements for fluid filtration processes in a variety of domestic and international end-markets. When Sterling acquired the business from the founding family in 2009, the company was the domestic leader in the aviation fuel filtration industry. Today, Velcon has a global platform servicing the aviation, industrial and oil and gas filtration markets in over 150 countries. Sterling identified Velcon as a buy-and-build platform and completed three strategic acquisitions in three years. The business more than doubled in size during Sterling's ownership.

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2012 and is subject to regulatory approval. The Sterling Group was advised by Robert W. Baird & Co. and Willkie Farr & Gallagher.

About The Sterling Group

Founded in 1982, The Sterling Group is a private equity investment firm that targets controlling interests in basic manufacturing, distribution and industrial services companies. Typical enterprise values of these companies range from $100 million to $500 million. Sterling has sponsored the buyout of 41 platform companies and numerous add-on acquisitions for a total transaction value of approximately $9.5 billion. Currently, Sterling has $1.2 billion of committed capital under management through three funds. Current portfolio companies include CST Industries, Universal Fiber Systems, Velcon Filters, Express, B&G Crane, Saxco International, Stackpole International and Liqui-Box.

About Parker Hannifin Corporation

With annual sales exceeding $13 billion in fiscal year 2012, Parker Hannifin is the world's leading diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems, providing precision-engineered solutions for a wide variety of mobile, industrial and aerospace markets. The company employs approximately 60,000 people in 48 countries around the world. Parker has increased its annual dividends paid to shareholders for 56 consecutive fiscal years, among the top five longest-running dividend-increase records in the S&P 500 index. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.parker.com or its investor information web site at www.phstock.com.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results and all investments are subject to loss.

SOURCE The Sterling Group