ATL Partners (ATL), a private equity firm, has acquired SkyMark Companies (SkyMark), the manufacturer of aircraft refuelling trucks and hydrant dispensers as well as other transportation-related specialty vehicles, and Rampmaster, a designer and manufacturer of aircraft refuelling solutions for the commercial and general aviation markets. SkyMark and Rampmaster are the first investments in ATL's latest fund, ATL Fund III.

As part of the transactions, SkyMark, which includes the SkyMark Refuellers brand, and Rampmaster will combine to create a leading global specialty vehicle equipment platform focused on the growing aviation solutions, refuelling and ground support equipment (GSE) markets.

Both the SkyMark and Rampmaster management teams will maintain leadership roles and will roll meaningful equity stakes into the combined company. Rampmaster's executive team, led by CEO Leighton (Lee) Yohannan as well as owners Owen Watkins and Daniel Watkins, and SkyMark's co-founders, Steven Paul, Doug Moskowitz and Mike Ellis, will remain in key leadership positions. SkyMark and Rampmaster will continue to operate under their respective brands.

“We are excited to bring together SkyMark and Rampmaster, two highly complementary businesses with blue-chip customer bases and diversified end markets, to create a leading, scaled platform serving the aviation, environmental, rail and specialty equipment sectors,” says Caleb Clark, senior partner at ATL Partners, who led the transaction for the firm. “We look forward to partnering with both SkyMark's and Rampmaster's management teams to drive growth by expanding the company's product and service offerings, deepening customer relationships, and identifying and integrating highly strategic acquisitions.”

Clark added, “Through our thematic-driven investment strategy, ATL identified the GSE market as a compelling growth opportunity approximately two years ago, and we are excited to bring our defined strategic vision to market. This partnership underscores ATL's proven value creation approach centred on collaborating closely with founders and management teams through our deep sector expertise and operating partner network.”

“I am excited by the opportunity to partner with ATL to lead SkyMark into its new phase of growth,” adds Steven Paul, chief executive officer of SkyMark. “Rampmaster has long been focused on producing some of the industry's most reliable and serviceable aviation refuelling solutions, and joining forces with SkyMark is a natural evolution of that mission. This combination brings together two storied businesses with deep engineering expertise, shared values and cultures, and unwavering commitments to quality and customer service. We are eager to leverage ATL's sector expertise to accelerate growth and strengthen our position as a partner of choice for airports and aviation service providers globally.”

“We are thrilled to join a scaled organisation that will enable us to expand our reach, accelerate innovation and bring our customised refuelling solutions to more customers globally,” concludes Lee Yohannan, chief executive officer of Rampmaster. “Partnering with SkyMark and ATL strengthens Rampmaster's ability to support our customers with the highest levels of reliability and service, while creating meaningful opportunities for our employees and stakeholders.”