Bertram Capital has acquired Motion & Control Enterprises, a distributor of flow control, motion and automation products, from Chicago private equity firm Frontenac, the two firms said on 26 October 2026.
Why Bertram Capital (Fund V) is buying Motion & Control Enterprises LLC (MCE)
Bertram said MCE has built a differentiated national platform in technical industrial distribution and that it plans to back further growth, including acquisitions. The deal is the seventh platform investment of Bertram Capital Fund V.
“MCE checks every box for us as an investment.”
Deal terms and financing
Terms were not disclosed. Ares and Antares provided debt financing, and MCE's management team led by chief executive Charley Hale will keep a meaningful investment in the company.
Market context
Frontenac formed MCE in 2018 by acquiring RitterTech and went on to complete and integrate 27 acquisitions. Bertram describes MCE as having about 50 locations, more than 700 employees and more than 25,000 customers; Frontenac says it operates 62 facilities in 18 states.
