Big Easy Bucks

New Orleans private equity firm invests $200 million in industrial businesses

Carr’s Hill Capital Partners Management, a New Orleans-based private equity firm, announced March 18 the final closing of Carr’s Hill Fund I, LP at $210 million. Most of the funding involves industrial and infrastructure-related businesses, as detailed below.

The funding includes industrial businesses like Smart Safety Group, which provides safety resources for modern construction, manufacturing, and staffing.--Smart Safety Group photo

The local company was launched in 2019 by Founder & Managing Partner H. David de Lauréal. Carr’s Hill has grown into 10 team members, four active platform investments, and nine add-on acquisitions, with clients such as Pass Christian, Miss.-based Matthews Brothers Dredging; Atlanta and Baton Rouge-based SMART Safety Group; Atlanta-based Arrow Waste Inc.; and LaPorte, Texas-based AXIS Industries, among others.

Carr’s Hill says it "transitioned from its roots as an independent sponsor to launching Fund I, building on its successful track record of partnering with entrepreneurial operators," per a March 18 press release from BusinessWire.

The fund purports to deploy capital into "family- and founder-led companies...in the industrial and infrastructure services sectors." It added that these companies will generally range from $5 million to $15 million of EBITDA.

“The lower-middle market, especially throughout the Southeastern U.S., remains a very attractive segment of the market,” said Mr. de Lauréal in the press release. “We are grateful for the continued support of our investors and proud of the disciplined approach of our growing team at Carr’s Hill. Our inaugural raise positions us to accelerate our strategy of providing not just funding but strategic and operational support to build enduring businesses in the true lower-middle market.”