Lazard Middle
Market Advised LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD
on its Merger with
Havis-Shields
TRANSACTION
DESCRIPTION
Lazard Middle Market advised LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD on its
merger with Havis-Shield Equipment Corporation. LEDCO is a manufacturer of
mobile computing solutions and vehicle power management systems.
TRANSACTION HIGHLIGHTS
LEDCO, a leading manufacturer of mobile computing
solutions and vehicle power management systems has mergered with
Havis-Shields, a manufacturer of mission critical products designed for
public safety fleet and fire vehicles. The merger of these two trusted
industry leaders will define the new mobile workspace. This partnership
truly delivers on maximizing worker productivity.
The combination
of Havis-Shields and LEDCO creates a broad portfolio that better serves
the mobile workspace by offering a complete line of products. This broad
product portfolio includes emergency lighting, consoles, docking stations
and security transport systems. For the first time ever, customers will be
able to utilize a single provider for fleet and IT solutions requirements,
reducing total cost of ownership and improving service and
support.
As part of the merger, current
Havis-Shields president, Joe Bernert, will become the chairman and chief
executive officer of the newly formed company. Michael Bernert, currently
the vice president of sales and marketing for Havis-Shields, will become
the president of the merged companies, and current LEDCO president, Mike
Zani, will become the new company's chief operating
officer.
Havis-Shields'
Joe Bernert said the merger is a win-win for both companies and will
provide its respective customers with an expanded line of the most
comfortable and safest solutions in the industry. "We think the merger of
Havis-Shields and LEDCO will give us the opportunity to increase the level
of service and the quality of products we provide to our
customers."
Michael Bernert further explained that "this merger
will give our Fleet and IT sales channel partners access to both LEDCO’s
industry leading docking products and Havis-Shields innovative mounting
solutions."
LEDCO's Mike Zani agreed, and said the merger will
bring two industry leaders together to provide customers with a "one-stop
shop" for all their mobile computing, mission critical fleet and vehicle
power management solutions. "Havis-Shields is one of the most trusted
names in public safety and mission critical equipment. That reputation,
coupled with the perfect fit of LEDCO's respective product lines gives us
the ability to quickly respond to customer needs with the best and most
complete mobile workplace equipment in the market, all from one source,"
Zani said.
The company headquarters will
remain in Warminster, Pa., and the current LEDCO manufacturing and
marketing offices will remain in the Detroit suburb of Plymouth, Michigan.
Joe Bernert said that each company will continue with a "business as
usual" philosophy, and that current Havis-Shields and LEDCO customers will
continue to work with their current company representatives for products
and services.
ABOUT
LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD
LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD (www.ledco-chargeguard.com) is
a progressive private company with national presence, known for its
innovative mobile computing solutions. LEDCO designs and delivers cutting
edge products and services for its two core product lines. The LEDCO
product line focuses on maximizing mobile worker productivity by providing
mounting and docking equipment with the most comfortable designs, the
industry's safest solutions, tested to the highest quality standards. The
CHARGEGUARD product line offers the industry's original battery saver and
other power management devices that safeguard against dead batteries,
high-voltage problems, stranded people and
lost productivity.
ABOUT
HAVIS-SHIELDS
Havis-Shields Equipment Corporation (www.havis.com), headquartered in
Warminster, PA is the leading manufacturer of emergency vehicle consoles,
computer mounts, prisoner transport systems, K-9 transports and emergency
scene lighting. Havis-Shields products support mission critical public
safety and fire applications with its focus on fleet support and
quick-to-market product design, development and fabrication. Havis-Shields
maintains a state of the art manufacturing facility utilizing state of the
art CNC equipment and a fully automated powder coating paint system.
Havis-Shields is uniquely qualified to provide vehicle installation
services for over 1,000 public safety vehicles per year in its PA
facilities. This capability allows Havis-Shields to remain on the leading
edge of automotive design changes resulting in the most efficient and
thoroughly tested solutions on the market. And with over 100 dedicated
employees serving the public safety and fire marketplace, Havis-Shields is
large enough to handle the most demanding jobs.
ABOUT LAZARD MIDDLE MARKET
Lazard Middle Market
LLC (www.lazardmm.com), a
subsidiary of Lazard Ltd (NYSE:LAZ), provides advice on strategic planning
and M&A, private placements, capital raising, and restructurings
to the middle market. Lazard Middle Market’s investment bankers
operate with full access to the industry expertise, senior
board-level relationships, and local perspectives of Lazard’s bankers in 39
cities across 24 countries in North America, Europe,
Asia, Australia, Central and South America.
If you would like more information about
this transaction, please contact:
