26North's affiliates have agreed to acquire MEI Industrial Solutions, a national provider of equipment execution services, from Olympus Partners. No financial terms were disclosed. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Dallas, MEI manages the movement of heavy, high-value equipment from the manufacturer's dock to its final placement on site. The company operates 30 locations and 90 storage facilities across the US, with 10 million square feet of industrial storage and nearly 2,500 employees.
Its services include rigging, machinery moving and setting, storage and staging, crating and export packaging, and specialized logistics. MEI's crews set power and cooling equipment inside hyperscale data centers, position precision tools in chip plants, install production lines in battery and pharmaceutical facilities, and move heavy machinery for aerospace, defense and space programs. Demand for this work is rising with the AI build-out and the reshoring of manufacturing to the US.
Mark Weinberg, senior partner and head of private equity at 26North, said that whether it is a transformer for an AI campus or a production line for Navy submarines, the equipment has to be stored, moved and installed safely and precisely. MEI is led by CEO Doug Dayton, who joined in 2023 after 16 years in president and CEO roles at PSI and Eurofins USA. Under 26North, the firm's Alpha Creation Team will work with MEI's leadership on investments in people, equipment and training, and the firm plans to expand MEI's geographic reach.
MEI will join a 26North portfolio that includes Arch Key Solutions, AVI-SPL, Bruin Capital, Composition Brands, Intermedia Intelligent Communications, NEP Group and Onelife Fitness. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026. Jefferies is financial adviser to 26North and Lazard is financial adviser to MEI. Founded in 2022 by Josh Harris, 26North manages approximately $38 billion across private equity, private credit, insurance and reinsurance strategies.
Source: PE Hub · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing