• BloApCo designs and manufactures material handling equipment utilized to reduce the size and bulk of waste and scrap in the recycling supply chain
• BloApCo’s material handling systems are highly engineered, durable and tailored for each client’s unique application
• Mesirow acted as the exclusive financial advisor on this transaction, highlighting the firm’s continued track record in the industrial technology sector

CHICAGO, February 27, 2024 – Mesirow, an independent, employee-owned financial services firm, has announced it acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Blower Application LLC (“BloApCo” or the “Company”), a portfolio company of Gen Cap America (“Gen Cap”), on its sale to Valesco Industries (“Valesco”).

Founded in 1933, BloApCo engineers and manufactures pneumatic material handling systems to reduce the size and bulk of waste and scrap within a customer’s facility prior to shipping to a recycler. The Company has 90 years of experience designing material handling systems for a diverse customer base. Located in Germantown, Wisconsin, BloApCo offers modular industrial shredders, conveying systems, material handling fans and trim cutters, in addition to a robust aftermarket offering of parts and refurbishment services, to customers in the retail distribution, packaging and broader industrial sectors. BloApCo works closely with its customer base to design and manufacture solutions customized to the application, material and facility.

“Mesirow offered unwavering support throughout this transaction, leveraging its expertise to identify the ideal partner to preserve BloApCo’s legacy and facilitate continued growth,” said Dan Cieslewicz, President of BloApCo, “We valued our partnership with Gen Cap and look forward to continued success in our next chapter with Valesco.”

Nathan Moeri, Managing Director of Mesirow Investment Banking, said, “It was a pleasure working with BloApCo and Valesco on this transaction. BloApCo has served as a trusted partner to a dedicated, global customer base for 90+ years and is supported by an excellent, tenured leadership team. This transaction will enable BloApCo to continue to serve as a market leader in the material handling sector and leverage its engineering capabilities to support further growth.”

The sale of BloApCo represents another successful industrial technology assignment completed by Mesirow Investment Banking. Mesirow Investment Banking has completed over 325 transactions in recent years across its covered verticals. Committed to leveraging extensive sector-specific expertise across industry groups and nurturing deep longstanding relationships, Mesirow has a proven track record of completing highly tailored and successful transactions on behalf of its clients.

About Mesirow 

Mesirow is an independent, employee-owned financial services firm founded in 1937. Headquartered in Chicago, with offices around the world, we serve clients through a personal, custom approach to reaching financial goals and acting as a force for social good. With capabilities spanning Global Investment Management, Capital Markets & Investment Banking, and Advisory Services, we invest in what matters: our clients, our communities and our culture. To learn more, visit mesirow.com and follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to Spark, our quarterly newsletter.

Mesirow was recently named one of the Best Places to Work in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business and one of the Top 100 RIA firms by Barron’s.

About Blower Application LLC
BloApCo, founded in 1933 and located in Germantown, Wisconsin, designs and manufactures customized solid waste and scrap handling systems and processing equipment, primarily for the corrugated box plant and retail distribution industries. For more information, visit www.bloapco.com.

About Valesco
Valesco is a Dallas, Texas based private equity firm that focuses on making control and non-control investments in select growth-oriented small- and lower- middle-market businesses engaged in manufacturing, distribution, and business-to-business services. Valesco specializes in partnering with a company’s management team to support its growth objectives. As long-term industry veterans, the principals have capitalized and built numerous successful businesses, serving those companies in varying roles as investors, managers, advisors, and directors. For more information, visit www.valescoind.com.

Nothing contained herein constitutes an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any Mesirow investment vehicle(s). Mesirow Financial, Inc. is not affiliated with Blower Application LLC, Valesco Industries, or their affiliates. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Mesirow refers to Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. and its divisions, subsidiaries and affiliates. The Mesirow name and logo are registered service marks of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. © 2024. All rights reserved. Securities offered through Mesirow Financial, Inc. member FINRA, SIPC.

2022 Crain’s Best Places to Work (Received August 2022 reflective of previous 12 months – Licensing fees paid post award for use of the ranking). Best Companies Group (BCG), an independent workplace excellence research firm, conducted a two-part survey. Part one, consisted of an employer questionnaire, used to collect information about benefits, policies, practices, and other general information. Part two was a confidential 77-question employee survey used to evaluate local employee’s workplace experience and culture. Rankings and/or recognition by unaffiliated rating services and/or publications are not indicative of a firm’s future performance nor do they evaluate the quality of services provided to clients or guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if Mesirow is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services, nor should they be construed as a current or past endorsement of Mesirow by any of its clients.

2023 Barron’s Top RIAs (Received September 2023 for the year 2022 – Licensing fees paid post award for use of the ranking). In order to be considered for the Barron’s 2023 Top RIA Firms list, applicants were required to complete a 145-question survey, with the firm’s ADV informing the majority of responses. Firms were also required to meet a number of other specified requirements to be eligible for inclusion. Firms were ranked based on various qualitative and quantitative factors, including assets managed, the size and experience of teams, regulatory records of the advisors and firms, technology spending, staff diversity, organic and M&A growth, client segmentation as well as succession planning.