Wild Things, the technical outdoor apparel and gear for the military and law enforcement, to National Safety Apparel, Inc. (NSA), the parent of DriFire.
The seller was Asgard Partners & Co., an investment firm based in New York.
In a statement, National Safety Apparel said it would continue to expand its USA-based safety and military clothing brands with the acquisition of Virginia Beach-based Wild Things. National Safety Apparel said Wild Things is a cold-weather military clothing brand that complements National Safety Apparel’s existing DriFire brand of flame-resistant base layers, combat uniforms and flight suits.
“We’re committed to providing our military personnel with the gear they need and growing our manufacturing footprint in the USA”, states National Safety Apparel President and CEO, Chuck Grossman. “Wild Things aligns with our mission to provide high quality, innovative products, and expand our offering for the U.S. Armed Forces.”
Wild Things started as a manufacturer of lightweight gear for elite mountaineers and grew its offerings to include gear and apparel for U.S. Special Forces. The company has a manufacturing facility in Gorham, NH, and the brand is supported by a team in Virginia Beach, VA. Known for its technical outerwear, Wild Things products are currently in the field with every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.
A fourth-generation, family-owned company, National Safety Apparel’s Cleveland and Chicago-based facilities employ nearly 500 NSA employees. The company and its brands serve a wide variety of industries such as electrical and gas utilities, steel mills and aluminum foundries, glass plants, construction, and manufacturing in addition to military personnel.
In a separate statement, Asgards said when it acquired Wild Things in 2018, the company was struggling with limited liquidity and had suffered years of underinvestment in both the brand and the infrastructure of the business. Immediately post-close, Asgard brought on a management team, led by CEO Amy Coyne, to drive Wild Things.
Under Asgard’s ownership, the company reinvigorated customer relationships with industry distributors, diversified its customer base, introduced new sales channels, re-established relations with key military agencies and influential end-user groups, expanded sales infrastructure and new sales representation, and recruited industry talent.
Karan Rai, the managing partner of Asgard, stated, “Wild Things exemplifies Asgard’s operationally-focused investment strategy and intention to be in service of great companies through true partnership. We congratulate Amy and the entire Wild Things team for their passion for excellence and impressive execution. Additionally, we’d like to congratulate NSA on the acquisition of a great company.”
“We are proud of the extraordinary transformation of Wild Things under our ownership. Our goals of stabilizing the company, re-establishing the Wild Things brand in the marketplace and end-user community, and achieving material growth metrics were incredibly successful. We are excited for the Company’s next stage of growth under NSA’s ownership,” said Christian Cantalupo, partner at Asgard.
“Working in partnership with Asgard, Wild Things has become a business with a clear strategic vision and a focus on execution. NSA is now the perfect steward and strategic partner to help advance the company’s strategic objectives and maximize its growth potential. This acquisition will enable Wild Things to tap into a world-class organization where it can leverage existing manufacturing resources and supply chain partnerships, expand its capabilities, and achieve long term growth. I am truly excited for the team and the future that lies ahead for Wild Things. We thank our customers, suppliers and employees for their contributions to our success,” added Amy Coyne, CEO of Wild Things.
Photo courtesy Wild Things Gear
