AUSTIN, TEXAS – Blue Sage Capital (“Blue Sage”) is pleased to announce its recent investment in the merger of Skid Pro Attachments Inc. and Accessories Unlimited LLC (“AU”) (together, “Skid Pro” or the “Company”), a vertically integrated provider of attachments for skid steers and compact track loaders. The transaction marks a combination of two robust and complementary businesses. It also represents a strategic partnership between Blue Sage and the new Skid Pro leadership team.
Founded in 2011 by Ben Hartwell and Josh Sanden, Skid Pro has established itself as a leading sales and marketing platform for high-quality attachments, selling directly to thousands of customers across a variety of end markets, including vegetation management, landscaping, snow clearing, construction, and forestry. Accessories Unlimited, founded in 2006 by Mark Rasmussen and Travis Ballard, has grown alongside Skid Pro as its dedicated engineering and manufacturing partner. AU provides quality and custom-built products tailored for various end user specifications. The merger brings these two entities formally under one platform, aligning operations, strengthening supply chains, and expanding a portfolio of nearly 100 products. Blue Sage's investment in Skid Pro reflects an ongoing commitment to partnering with high-performing, founder-owned companies backed by strong management teams.
Blue Sage will support the Company’s plans to expand its product offering and its geographic reach, through both organic growth initiatives and strategic acquisitions. As part of the transaction, Dave Ring has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and will lead the business in close partnership with Blue Sage. Ring previously served as CEO of Sherman+Reilly, a provider of line-stringing equipment for the electric utility industry, and Ligchine International, a former Blue Sage portfolio company. In addition, Eric Flyen has joined the organization as Chief Financial Officer. Flyen brings deep financial and operational expertise from his prior roles as CFO at Lakeshirts, a Carlson Private Capital Partners-backed custom apparel company, and Bushel, a software solutions provider for the agriculture industry. The senior leadership team will be rounded out by the founders of Skid Pro and AU, who will remain in their operational roles at each respective business unit.
Dave Ring, Chief Executive Officer of the combined Company, commented: “This merger is the natural evolution of a partnership that has been thriving for years. Bringing Skid Pro and AU together under one platform will allow us to better serve our customers with seamless sales, marketing, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities. Partnering with Blue Sage allows us to invest in our people, expand our reach, and accelerate innovation.”
Eric Weiner, Partner at Blue Sage, stated:
“We are thrilled to partner with Dave Ring, Eric Flyen, Ben Hartwell, Josh Sanden, and Mark Rasmussen, as well as the talented teams across both Skid Pro and Accessories Unlimited. This merger creates a vertically integrated platform for a leading skid steer attachments business that is well-positioned to expand through new channels, product development, and strategic acquisitions.”
Blue Sage was represented in the transaction by Queen Saenz + Schutz PLLC (Legal), Kroll (Accounting & IT), Cherry Bekaert (Tax), and Newfront (Insurance). Comerica Bank served as the financing partner on the transaction. The sellers were represented by Dave Hawkins of DJ Hawkins Consulting, LLC (Financial & Accounting) and New Counsel (Legal).
About Skid Pro Attachments
Skid Pro Attachments is headquartered in Alexandria, Minnesota, and specializes in the direct sales of equipment attachments for skid steers and compact track loaders. The company is recognized for its strong brand reputation, customer-focused approach, and nationwide reach, serving a diverse base of operators across multiple industries with reliable, high-performance solutions.
About Accessories Unlimited
Accessories Unlimited is a Detroit Lakes, Minnesota-based manufacturer of specialty skid steer and tractor attachments. Known for its engineering expertise and durable designs, the company serves both OEM and direct customers across construction, agriculture, and landscaping markets. Its state-of-the-art facility in Detroit Lakes supports ongoing innovation and high-quality production for a wide range of end users.
About Blue Sage
Blue Sage Capital is an Austin, Texas-based private equity firm that has been investing in profitable, growing, lower middle-market companies since 2002. Blue Sage currently has over $1.5 billion of assets under management and seeks to partner with founders, families, and management teams as the first round of institutional capital for businesses that enjoy leadership positions in niche manufacturing, environmental solutions, or specialty services industries. Blue Sage typically invests $25 million to $60 million in control buyout investments and recapitalizations of companies with $25 million to $200 million of revenue.
For questions or inquiries, please contact Eric Weiner (eric.weiner@bluesage.com) or Charles Branch (charles.branch@bluesage.com).
The statements regarding Blue Sage presented herein were made by certain founders and executives of Blue Sage’s current and/or former portfolio companies. Some of these individuals are investors in Blue Sage funds. The statements made by the founders and executives of Skid Pro and Accessories Unlimited constitute an endorsement of Blue Sage. Blue Sage holds a financial interest in Skid Pro and Accessories Unlimited through investment funds or accounts it manages. As such, the individuals providing these endorsements may have a conflict of interest and an incentive to portray Blue Sage in a favorable manner due to this existing business relationship. While no direct compensation was provided by Blue Sage in connection with these statements, Skid Pro and Accessories Unlimited may benefit from an ongoing or future investment relationship. These endorsements are not a guarantee of future investment performance and should not be construed as a recommendation to invest in any Blue Sage fund, strategy, or portfolio. Past performance is not indicative of future results, and all investments involve risk, including the potential loss of principal. This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security.