United Industrial Corporation

United Industrial Corporation's (UIC) transportation overhaul business specializes in repair, overhaul, and manufacturing services for public mass transit systems. UIC is focusing its operations on the design and production of defense, training, and energy systems, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). As such, UIC determined that its transportation business would be better suited with a partner focused on similar activities. UIC hired First Equity to assess the transportation business's options and help prepare the company for a possible sale. After a period of negotiations, the transportation overhaul contracts with the New Jersey Transit Authority and Maryland's Mass Transportation Authority were sold to ALSTOM Transportation Inc. ALSTOM Transportation Inc. is the global specialist in energy and transport infrastructure. ALSTOM's Transport Sector, with sales of € 4.4 billion and a 17% market share, is a leading supplier to the rail industry worldwide.

Ozone Industries, Inc.

BBA Group, PLC's wholly owned subsidiary, Ozone Industries, Inc., specializes in the design, development, testing, and manufacturing of aircraft hydraulic systems and components for defense and commercial markets. Ozone's products include quick disconnect couplings, landing gear, actuation assemblies, and nose wheel steering assemblies and fly on a variety of state-of-the-art platforms, including the Black Hawk, Super Stallion, Chinook, and Bell helicopters, the V-22 Osprey tilt rotor, and the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet jet fighters. In line with its core focus of aviation services and support, BBA determined that Ozone's manufacturing expertise would be better suited with a partner focused on similar activities. BBA hired First Equity to quickly assess Ozone's options and prepare the company for a possible sale. During the difficult market conditions after September 11th, First Equity targeted a select few strategic acquirers who would be able to support and continue Ozone's fifty year legacy of premier manufacturing. After a period of negotiations, substantially all of the assets of Ozone were sold to Triumph Group, Inc. Triumph designs, engineers, manufactures, repairs, and overhauls aircraft components and industrial gas turbine components and accessories. Ozone will become part of the Triumph Control Systems Group's HTD Aerospace, Inc.

Gulfstream/BBA

First Equity assisted Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, a General Dynamics Company, in divesting its engine repair and overhaul assets to Dallas Airmotive, a subsidiary of BBA Group plc, while simultaneously advising Gulfstream on the acquisition of the airframe repair and overhaul assets of four facilities from Signature Flight Support, another subsidiary of BBA Group plc. In conjunction with the transactions, Gulfstream and BBA Group entered into a long term marketing agreement that provided additional value to both of their respective businesses.

Atlantic Aviation

The owners of this Delaware-based corporate aviation pioneer were seeking alternatives for the founding family's interest in the company. Wishing to assure the long-term success and growth of Atlantic, the owners engaged First Equity to weigh the options. First Equity proceeded to value Atlantic, then developed a strategic plan, generating proposals from a number of different prospective purchasers. In due course, Atlantic was sold to a merchant bank and is now the cornerstone in a strategy to create a consolidated aviation services enterprise.

Bombardier

At a time when most of the aerospace industry was retreating, First Equity matched the Montreal-based transportation concern with aerospace companies who would benefit from Bombardier's entrepreneurial spirit and management culture. Starting with Canadair and continuing with Learjet and AMR service centers, First Equity helped assemble an aerospace portfolio that includes Short Brothers and De Havilland and is one of the industry's most spectacular successes. Today, with over $3 billion in annual revenues from their aerospace division, Bombardier is the third largest commercial airframe manufacturer in the world.