Pillars of Success
Partnering with entrepreneurs to take their businesses further than they thought possible.
Current Investments
Southwest Steel Fabrication
Southwest Steel Fabrication was founded in 1910 and is located in Bonner Springs, Kansas. The company has an immense 140,000 square foot plant that has the capacity for even the largest jobs. SSF successfully competes on the basis of its long standing reputation for excellence, the high quality of its workmanship, strong record of reliability in timely delivery, and perhaps most importantly, its rock bottom pricing.
Dart Casting
Dart Casting is a high-pressure aluminum die casting company located in the heart of America and dedicated to making their customers successful. With a passionate commitment to quality, Dart Casting continuously works to ensure that each unit is produced with accuracy, consistency, and efficiency.
Eagle Precision Sheet Metal
EPSM plays a key role in several high-profile projects and products around the world. EPSM’s mission is to help customers attain high-quality products in an efficient and cost-effective manner. EPSM is a technology-centric manufacturing company that produces a wide range of specialty products and can assist in 3D design, flat pattern, engineering, and design-for-manufacturability.
Turk Manufacturing
Turk Manufacturing is a full-service machining facility located in Hillsboro, Oregon. Founded in 1977, Turk has continued to grow into a 33,000+ square foot facility with climate control, clean rooms, and state of the art machinery. Turk’s primary business is manufacturing products to customer drawings and specifications, from prototype to high production quantities.
General Die Casters
General Die Casters, Inc. was founded in 1957 and is located in Twinsburg, Ohio. The company has built more than 60 years of expertise in custom high-pressure aluminum and zinc die casting, specializing in specialty alloys including 390, 380, 383, 360, and 413. General Die Casters successfully competes on the basis of its extensive experience and technical knowledge, comprehensive in-house capabilities from engineering assistance through CNC machining and finishing, proven track record serving diverse industries including automotive, lighting, construction, and electric vehicles, and its commitment to treating each casting not as a commodity but as a partnership delivering the highest level of quality and service.
Automated Motion
Automated Motion Inc. is located in Lee's Summit, Missouri, serving the Kansas City area and customers across 18 countries on 6 continents. The company is both a design engineering firm and contract manufacturer specializing in custom solutions for aerospace, automotive, medical, military, industrial, and other demanding industries. AMI successfully competes on the basis of its comprehensive in-house capabilities spanning system integration, electrical/mechanical/software engineering, robotics, and factory automation, proven expertise in electronics manufacturing services including PC boards, wire harnesses, and control panels, exceptional customer service with quick response times and reliable hand-delivery to meet critical deadlines, and its unwavering commitment to high-quality, personalized service backed by decades of industry experience.
Outback Manufacturing
Outback Manufacturing is located in Bend, Oregon, operating as a full-service precision machining facility. The company specializes in manufacturing critical machined components for government and commercial contractors across a wide range of demanding applications. Outback successfully competes on the basis of its ISO 9001 and AS9100D aerospace quality certifications, its ability to meet strict tolerances for quality, cost, and time-to-market on complex projects, comprehensive Quality Management System with continuous improvement processes, and its proven capability to transform any product idea into reality with the precision and reliability that critical applications demand.
Diagnostic Radiology Institute
Diagnostic Radiology Institute of Kansas City was established in 1998 and is located in Mission, Kansas. The company was one of the first free-standing imaging facilities in the Kansas City area and operates a consumer-friendly facility with convenient parking just feet from the entrance. DRI successfully competes on the basis of its specialized focus on excellence in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with board-certified, fellowship-trained radiologists including subspecialists in neuroradiology, cost-effective pricing contracted with all major managed care plans, convenient extended hours including Saturday and Sunday appointments with same-day availability, and its unwavering commitment to physician and patient satisfaction through timely service delivery and exceptional diagnostic interpretation.
Neighborhood Painting
Neighborhood Painting & Restoration was founded in 2002 and is located in Bonner Springs, Kansas, serving the Kansas City metro area. The company is a family-owned, full-service painting and remodeling contractor specializing in both residential and commercial projects. Neighborhood Painting successfully competes on the basis of its award-winning track record including nine consecutive Angie's List Super Service Awards and recognition as one of the top 10 painting contractors in Kansas City, comprehensive service offerings spanning interior/exterior painting, wood rot repair, deck restoration, and full home remodeling, unwavering commitment to completing every project on time and on budget with expert craftsmanship, and most importantly, their industry-leading 5-year warranty that stands behind the quality and durability of their work.
Selected Exits
Nell Hill’s
Founded in 1981, Nell Hill’s is a Kansas City staple and one of the most popular home interior stores in the Midwest. Located in Briarcliff Village in North Kansas City, Nell Hill’s welcomes guests from all over the country to find beautiful home décor, bespoke furniture and design inspiration. Nell Hill’s is the ideal place for a day of shopping or a fun getaway weekend.
Highlighted Stories of Success
Southwest Steel
A fresh perspective
Challenge: A mindset here was the common refrain, “that’s the way it’s always been done.” With a workforce that had been with the company for many years, in some cases decades, business processes and practices were not evaluated for improvement. The SOP was that if it has worked for all these years, no need to change it. While that was true in some cases, it was not true in all cases.
Dart Casting
Achieving a Vision
Challenge: The second-generation owners of the business wanted to diversify risk while partnering with a group that could help the company achieve growth and thus its full potential.
Eagle Precision
Trust exemplified
Challenge: As a new owner, it is difficult to show the former ownership group, as well as the existing management team, that the new leader is the right one to guide and grow the business.
Nell Hill’s
Preserve a legacy
Challenge: This iconic retail store was founded by a very dynamic lady that was/is revered within the industry. We sought to partner with an investment group with the goal of preserving what was so great about the business, but injecting new life.