Gregg Ritz' Wild Communications and the private equity firm TGV Partners announce the acquisition of substantially all the assets of Horton Archery, a designer, manufacturer and marketer of crossbows and archery acessories.


WildComm is the outdoor marketing and media production company that Gregg Ritz, noted professional hunter and producer of outdoor hunting TV shows, established after the former President of Thompson/Center Firearms and his private equity backers, TGV Partners, successfully sold T/C to Smith & Wesson in 2007. TGV Partners, a 20-year old private equity firm focused on middle-market buyouts of Outdoor & Consumer brands, originally backed Ritz in the buyout of T/C.


The transaction will provide Horton Archery, located in Tallmadge, OH, access to the significant capital resources of Ritz and TGV Partners and to the product development and strategic marketing capabilities of the WildComm management team.


The purchase includes both of Horton Archery's Tallmadge, OH and Changzhou, China facilities, which produce all of the company's products. Gregg Ritz, will be joining the Horton Archery team as CEO.


Noted Ritz, “Horton is a legacy brand that has championed the use of crossbows in the archery seasons for over 50 years. We believe crossbows are a platform to introduce gun hunters to the sport of archery that will increase the number of days our hunters spend in the field and help to keep our hunting heritage and industry healthy.”

 

Brad Cousins, COO of Horton Archery added, “the team at WildComm is known industry wide for their development of the iconic Thompson/Center brand and their ability to execute a dynamic new products and marketing strategy that excites the consumer to participate in the sport.”