Harris Williams & Co. Advises Unifrax in its Sale to American Securities

Harris Williams & Co., premier middle market investment bank, announces that Unifrax Holdings I Corporation (Unifrax), a leading producer of high temperature insulation products, has been acquired by American Securities. Unifrax is a portfolio company of AEA Investors (AEA). The transaction closed on November 28, 2011. Harris Williams & Co. acted as the lead advisor to Unifrax. The transaction was led by Chris Williams, John Neuner, John Arendale, Brent Spiller and Matt McLain from the firm’s Richmond office.

"Unifrax is a true market leader with an exceptional track record of growth and a remarkable management team. We look forward to following the continued success of the business,” said Chris Williams, managing director at Harris Williams & Co. "The management team, led by Dave Brooks (CEO) and Mark Roos (CFO), has built a tremendous business over the last twenty years that today sets the standard for operating performance in the industry.”

Unifrax, headquartered in Niagara Falls, NY, is a leading global manufacturer of specialty materials and highly engineered components. Unifrax’s products provide high temperature insulating solutions to a variety of demanding end markets, including steel production, automotive, industrial metals, petrochemicals, power generation, aerospace, and commercial construction. Over the course of its successful 60+ year history, Unifrax has built a premier platform focused on delivering innovative heat containment and protective solutions that allow its customers to address critical issues surrounding energy efficiency, emissions regulations and fire safety requirements.

AEA, a global private equity partner to middle market companies, was founded in 1968 by the Rockefeller, Mellon, and Harriman family interests and S.G. Warburg & Co. AEA focuses on control buyouts in four industry sectors: value-added industrial products, specialty chemicals, consumer products and services involved in these sectors. Headquartered in New York, the firm also has offices in Stamford, London, Munich, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.

Headquartered in New York with an office in Shanghai, American Securities is a U.S. middle market private equity firm that invests in market leading companies in North America. The firm traces its roots to the family office founded in 1947 by William Rosenwald to invest and manage his share of his family’s Sears, Roebuck & Co. fortune. American Securities has invested prudently for more than a decade, partnering with strong management teams and other investors to establish a leading track record in middle-market private equity investing.

Harris Williams & Co. (www.harriswilliams.com), a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:PNC), is the premier middle market advisor with a two-decade legacy of sell side excellence serving clients worldwide. The firm is focused exclusively on the middle market, providing sell side and acquisition advisory, restructuring advisory, board advisory, private placements and capital markets advisory services.

Investment banking services are provided by Harris Williams LLC, a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC, and Harris Williams & Co. Ltd, an Appointed Representative of Sturgeon Ventures LLP, which is authorized and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Harris Williams & Co. is a trade name under which Harris Williams LLC and Harris Williams & Co. Ltd conduct business in the U.S. and Europe, respectively.

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