Houlihan Lokey Advises Vantage Specialty Chemicals Holdings

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that Vantage Specialty Chemicals Holdings, Inc. (Vantage), has been acquired by H.I.G. Capital, LLC (H.I.G), from an affiliate of the The Jordan Company, L.P. (TJC). The transaction closed on October 26, 2017.

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Vantage is a leading, vertically integrated provider of sustainable, naturally derived ingredients, focused on the personal care, industrial, food, and consumer industries, with a broad portfolio of over 2,000 products. Vantage was initially formed in early 2008 through H.I.G.'s acquisition of Croda International's U.S. oleochemicals business. Vantage then moved downstream, acquiring two specialty ingredients businesses before subsequently selling to TJC in January 2012. Since then, Vantage has continued to grow strategically through a combination of internal commercial efforts and acquisitions to develop a leading specialty ingredients platform. Today, Vantage operates six manufacturing facilities throughout the United States with laboratories and commercial offices in 14 countries across the United States, Latin America, South Africa, Europe, and Asia.

H.I.G. is a leading global private equity and alternative assets investment firm with $23 billion of equity capital under management. Based in Miami, Florida, with offices globally, H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/value-added approach.

TJC, founded in 1982, is a private equity firm that manages funds with original capital commitments in excess of $8 billion. TJC specializes in buying and building companies in partnership with the existing owners and management teams of those companies. The senior investment team has been investing together for over 25 years, and the firm prides itself on being a long-term investor that builds value over time. Headquartered in New York City, TJC also has an office in Chicago, Illinois.

This transaction highlights Houlihan Lokey's strong relationships and knowledge in the global specialty chemicals and natural ingredients industries as well as its ability to maximize value for shareholders in highly attractive, growing businesses. Houlihan Lokey enhanced value by effectively articulating Vantage's position as a provider of sustainable, naturally derived ingredient solutions; premium position in growing and recession-resistant end markets; proven M&A platform in large, addressable markets with a robust pipeline of identified opportunities; and highly attractive growth prospects.