Rye, NY, May 30, 2019 – SFW Capital Partners (“SFW”), a specialized private equity firm, today announced that Terry Kelly, the former President of TA Instruments, has joined the firm as an Operating Partner. Mr. Kelly will support SFW’s strategy to build leading Industrial and Healthcare Technology companies with a particular emphasis on providers of instrumentation, life sciences tools, sensors and measurement devices, laboratory equipment and consumables. SFW’s principals have supported the growth and development of some of the most well-regarded companies in the sector, including Essen Bioscience, Filtec, Spectro Scientific, Metter Toledo and Waters Corporation. SFW is investing out of Fund II with approximately $350 million of equity commitments and is actively seeking platform investments in profitable companies with $20 million to $250 million in revenue.
“We are excited to partner with Terry,” said Ahmad Sheikh, a Partner at SFW. “He has an exceptional track record in the sector, including his leadership of TA Instruments, where he transformed the business through growth-oriented investments and acquisitions that enabled the business to triple in revenue. We have worked with and known Terry over the last 15 years and have admired his leadership style, strategic vision and approach to business building, making him an ideal partner for us.”
Mr. Kelly has 30 years of experience in the analytical space and spent the last 14 years as President of TA Instruments, a subsidiary of Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT). TA Instruments is the leading manufacturer of analytical instruments for thermal analysis, rheology, and microcalorimetry. Under Terry’s leadership, TA Instruments grew from $100 million to $280 million in revenue while significantly enhancing its strategic value. During this time, TA Instruments completed 13 strategic acquisitions in the US and Europe which enhanced the company’s product portfolio and helped it expand into new and adjacent end-markets and applications.
“I am excited to team up with SFW in the pursuit and support of new investments,” said Mr. Kelly. “Their patient approach to business building, deep sector-focused resources, and long history of success make them ideal partners for founders, owners and management teams of businesses in our sector.”
About SFW Capital Partners, LP
SFW Capital Partners is a specialized private equity firm that invests in leading Information, Software, Industrial and Healthcare Technology companies. Our principals’ 25+ years of investing in and experience with relevant business models, technologies, competitive dynamics and service requirements gives us confidence in our ability to support management teams in growing their companies and building value. SFW invests in companies that provide critical tools to help other businesses make better decisions and/or become more efficient. These companies, which include providers of hardware, software, data and information, critical outsourced services, and consumables, provide a high return on investment to their customers and can serve a wide variety of end-markets.