KKR Acquires Fall-Protection Manufacturer Capital Safety from Arle Capital

Leading global investment firm KKR & Co. LP, New York, N.Y., has purchased fall-protection manufacturer Capital Safety, Red Wing, Minn., from Arle Capital Partners Ltd., London, England, for $1.12 billion. Arle had owned Capital Safety since June of 2007. The transfer will come in January 2012, subject to mandatory regulatory approvals.

Capital Safety manufactures fall-protection and height-safety equipment under the DBI-SALA, UNILINE, and PROTECTA brands.

Under Arle’s ownership over the past 4.5 years, Capital Safety’s aggressive research and development led to the launch of innovative first-in-the-industry products such as ExoFit, NEX, and the i-Safe RFID equipment-management system. The company also enhanced its global supply chain and expanded into emerging markets for fall-protection equipment. It also successfully made five strategic acquisitions in Australia, Columbia, France, and the U.K. in order to broaden its offerings for customers worldwide.    

Capital Safety Group CEO Anders Pettersson says that new owner KKR intends to continue to strategically invest in Capital Safety’s position as a leader in fall-protection solutions and expects the company to continue expanding its range of products and its markets.