O2 Investment Partners and Management Acquire Alpha Sintered Metals

RIDGWAY, PA--(Marketwired - Jan 23, 2014) - Alpha Sintered Metals, Inc., based in Ridgway, Pennsylvania, announced today that O2 Investment Partners, LLC, a Midwest-based private equity firm located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and Alpha's existing management team have acquired the business from Cyprium Partners located in Cleveland, Ohio. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Alpha Sintered Metals, Inc., is a premier manufacturer of high-precision powdered metal components and assemblies for the automotive, small engine, recreational vehicle, lawn & garden, commercial vehicle, and agricultural equipment industries.

JoAnne Ryan, President & CEO of Alpha Sintered Metals commented, "Our partnership with O2 -- an organization which shares our values and strategic vision -- provides access to the resources necessary for Alpha Sintered Metals to continue its growth trajectory with existing core products and customers while allowing for expansion into additional targeted niche markets and technologies and growth through strategic acquisition." 

Founded in 1967, Alpha Sintered Metals, Inc. has been instrumental in advancing the powdered metal industry through innovative material and process development. In addition to its reputation as a premier supplier of high-strength precision gears and fully-assembled modular camshafts, the company is known for its extensive capabilities and capacity to process high-density stainless steels for automotive, heavy duty, and off-highway exhaust systems. As a premier supplier to the automotive, recreational vehicle, and off-highway transportation industries, Alpha Sintered Metals is certified to both TS-16949 and ISO-14001. The company features sophisticated in-house design capabilities coupled with extensive experience in the development of proprietary alloy systems. Combined with a broad range of molding and sintering equipment as well as extensive CNC machining and automation, the company is able to offer customers customized solutions to meet the most demanding requirements. Alpha Sintered Metals employs 265 people and supplies its products to a worldwide customer base from manufacturing locations in Ridgway, Pennsylvania and Yizheng, China.

Jay Hansen, President and Managing Partner of O2 Investment Partners, added, "We are very pleased with our investment in Alpha Sintered Metals and its employees. The vision that JoAnne and the management team have developed for this business is truly exciting and we look forward to supporting the Alpha team in achieving the plan. Alpha Sintered Metals has the right combination of a talented and experienced workforce, efficient engineering and manufacturing processes, blue chip customer base, and diversified market opportunities to be extremely competitive in its niche within the powdered metal component manufacturing market, which we expect to present significant growth opportunities in the years ahead. We also view Alpha as an exciting platform for developing or acquiring additional businesses in the powdered metal component sectors and are actively seeking add-on acquisitions. With this team and the support of our financial partners, Huntington Bank and Northcreek Mezzanine, we are very optimistic about realizing these growth opportunities."

About O2 Investment Partners:
O2 Investment Partners is a Midwestern based private equity firm that seeks to acquire a majority interest in small and middle market manufacturing, niche distribution, and select service and technology businesses. The firm invests in businesses with earnings growth potential and a clear path to the creation of shareholder value.

O2 invests equity on behalf of its principals as well as a core network of other limited partners and strategic investors. The firm invests with a view toward partnering with management to build and grow the business and take it to its next stage of development. This requires not only a clear vision and strategic plan to create shareholder value, but a close partnership and alignment of interest with management.

About Alpha Sintered Metals, Inc:
Alpha Sintered Metals, Inc. is a premier manufacturer of high-precision powder metal components for the automotive, small engine, recreational vehicle, lawn & garden, commercial vehicle, and agricultural equipment industries. Alpha has been a pioneer in advancing the powdered metal industry through innovative material and process development. With its sophisticated in-house design capability, proprietary alloy metal development ability, and its molding, sintering, and machining operations, Alpha is able to offer customers customized solutions to meet the most demanding of manufacturing requirements.

Additional information is available at www.o2investment.com and www.alphasintered.com.