Urbana, IL – Platte River Equity (“Platte River”) portfolio company MES Life Safety (“MES” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce its acquisition of Illini Fire Equipment (“Illini”) and FESSI, Inc. (“FESSI”), two family-owned businesses that sell and service fire protection equipment. These strategic acquisitions enhance MES’s presence in the Central U.S. and expand its end market exposure into the fire and life safety segment.
“We are honored to welcome Amy Lewis and the teams from Illini and FESSI to MES,” said Marvin Riley, President & CEO of MES. “Their deep expertise, customer-first approach and longstanding reputation for excellence make them a natural fit with our organization. This partnership enhances our ability to serve a wide range of new and existing customers across industries with reliable, code-compliant fire protection solutions and expert service.”
“My family founded Illini Fire Equipment nearly 70 years ago with a mission to protect our community through dependable fire protection services,” said Amy Lewis, President and Co-Owner of Illini and FESSI. “Partnering with MES ensures we will continue that legacy on a broader scale. With access to greater resources, advanced technology and a national reach, we are excited to enhance the value we bring to our customers – while preserving the personal service that has defined our success for decades.”
“We are excited to support the MES team as they build the Company into a leading safety partner for at-risk workers,” said Eric Crawford, Managing Director of Platte River. “This is the twelfth add-on acquisition under Platte River’s ownership and the first in the attractive fire and life safety segment. Fire and life safety is a highly strategic extension for MES, allowing the business to support the first line of defense for fire protection.”
MES continues to actively seek add-on acquisitions for businesses providing equipment distribution, aftermarket equipment maintenance and testing services and fire system services to the fire, tactical and industrial end markets.
