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Dexko Global

Dexko Global image
Business

DexKo Global is a leading designer and manufacturer of trailer axle, brake and suspension assemblies and related replacement parts used primarily in the industrial and utility trailer and RV markets

Situation overview

Sterling and management worked together to further improve already strong operating practices and complete 10 acquisitions.

Quote

What Sterling really has done, and it’s really a fantastic situation, is they’ve given me the opportunity and the freedom to run my business, while being there whenever I needed the support to get something done.

Fred Bentley, Detroit, Michigan,
CEO of DexKo Global

They provided us with outstanding guidance, tools and direction and helped us really formulate an outstanding plan for excellent growth.

Adam Dexter, Elkhart, Indiana,
President & CEO of Dexter, a DexKo Global Company

Dexter was the US market leader in trailer axle and running gear manufacturing. Sterling was attracted to the Dexter business because of its excellent manufacturing operations and reputation for producing the best quality axles available. The company was owned by a large corporation undergoing a divestiture strategy. Sterling saw the opportunity to partner with a strong business to improve systems and processes and grow the business.

Sterling and management worked together to further improve already strong operating practices. A key element of this was information systems. The company had achieved great success without detailed systems for tracking the cost to manufacture its axles. The team worked together to put in place the right accounting system to make better purchasing and pricing decisions. In addition, Sterling and management recruited to fill over 16 new positions required to execute on a variety of strategic, operational and commercial initiatives.

Sterling had worked closely with Dexter management to grow the business in the United States. In 2015, the company made the transformational acquisition of its European counterpart, AL-KO VT. Bringing the two businesses together created the global market leader from a formerly domestically focused business. At sale, the new business was nearly 4 times the size than it was at Sterling’s original acquisition. Renamed DexKo Global, the company serves almost all of the world’s axle markets with sales to over 60 countries. The new business has greater diversification of products, end markets, and geographies. Both the US and European management teams continued to run their respective businesses, and Sterling recruited a global management team to oversee the combination of the two businesses.


*The experience cited here is not necessarily reflective of all who have partnered with Sterling. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Further, this individual is not an investor in any of Sterling’s affiliated investment funds, but was previously employed by a portfolio company of Sterling’s and it is possible such individual may wish to be employed by a Sterling portfolio company in the future. While this individual was not compensated for this endorsement, this individual was compensated as an employee of the portfolio company during its partnership with Sterling, and it is possible that this individual may have received or in the future receive other tangible benefits from Sterling.