Thompson Street Capital Partners (TSCP), a private equity firm based in St. Louis, announced today that they have partnered with management to acquire Custom Wheel House LLC, (CWH) a Los Angeles, CA-based designer, marketer, and distributor of branded automotive aftermarket wheels, performance tires, and accessories through its brands: Method Race Wheels, Tensor Tires, GMZ Race Products, and Dusty Times, a desert racing enthusiast-focused publication. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 2010, Method Race Wheels (www.methodracewheels.com) designs, develops and distributes high performance wheels and accessories for race and street applications. These products represent the company’s commitment to quality, driven by their end users’ high standards of performance. As racing enthusiasts and participants, the Method team is driven to look beyond conventional ideas of industry standards. Engineering, rigorous testing, data collection and proven performance redefines what is possible in the creation of Method wheels and accessories. The application of Method race knowledge separates it from other wheel companies.
Tensor Tires (www.tensortire.com) designs, engineers and produces ATV and UTV tires that perform at the highest standard no matter the terrain.
GMZ Race Products, (www.GMZRaceProducts.com) designs and manufactures top quality wheels and tires for the ATV and UTV markets of today. GMZ products have been thoroughly tested and approved by many top athletes and off-road enthusiasts alike.
Dusty Times (www.dustytimes.com) is a desert racing enthusiast magazine publication with unique, high-quality content from industry leading contributors.
“This is an exciting new chapter for CWH. Thompson Street has a proven track record in building companies through improved digital marketing, sales force expansion, and add-on acquisitions,” said Kevin Fitzgerald, CEO of Method. “It was very important to me that we partnered with a growth-focused equity partner that understood the founder mentality. After evaluating multiple options, it was clear that TSCP was the right choice for us to take CWH to the next level.”
Jeff Aiello, Director, TSCP said, “Method is by far the most attractive off-road wheel brand in the automotive aftermarket, as demonstrated by their rapid growth and unparalleled social media footprint, as well as its grassroots enthusiast following.” Mr. Aiello added, “We are really excited to partner with Custom Wheel’s outstanding leadership team to accelerate the brand’s growth.”