Category: Acquisitions

Categories
Acquisitions

Berkshire Hathaway Subsidiary Buys Stake in Safe Marine Transfer

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway’s LiquidPower Specialty Products Inc. has taken an equity interest in Safe Marine Transfer, LLC and has entered a strategic alliance to deliver LSPI’s market leading drag reducing agents (DRA) subsea via SMT’s patented all electric dual barrier subsea storage and delivery technologies.

Drag reducing agents (DRA), also known as flow improvers, are long-chain hydrocarbon polymers that act as turbulence inhibitors along the pipe wall to decrease the amount of energy lost in turbulent activity.

The introduction of DRA at the subsea well/drill center has the potential to significantly increase production in a cost-effective manner, by increasing flow rates in existing subsea production lines, subsea gathering lines, and subsea trunk lines. Marina Kaplan, LSPI’s Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development, “SMT presents LSPI with a unique opportunity to leverage over four decades of pioneering technology, product development and global delivery to a completely new market where we have the potential to significantly increase subsea well tieback production.”

Additionally, SMT announced that Subsea 7 has taken minority equity interest in SMT and entered a Cooperation Agreement to assist in the delivery of SMT’s services and LSPI DRA on a global basis. Mr. Graeme Kinnell, Subsea 7 Board Observer, “Subsea 7 is pleased to be positioned to offer new and unique services to our subsea oil company clients via our relationship with SMT and LSPI. This investment helps support our vision to lead the way in the delivery of offshore projects and services for the energy industry.”

SMT’s CEO and co-founder Art J. Schroeder, Jr., “We are very pleased that these two world-class companies have chosen SMT as a partner to expand their range of products and services. LSPI, as a global leader in drag reduction technology, brings a proven value-add product. Subsea 7, with its global fleet of marine equipment, marine support, manufacturing, and assembly sites offers an established global delivery team. We look forward to jointly working with our subsea oil company customers to deliver additional value in their subsea tiebacks.”

LiquidPower Specialty Products Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway Company, is the global leader in the science and application of drag reduction, with over 40 years of experience. LSPI specializes in DRA technology by maximizing the flow potential of pipelines, increasing operational flexibility and throughput capacity. Through its partnership with SMT, LSPI will provide DRA for subsea application to significantly increase production by creating higher flow rates in existing subsea production lines, subsea gathering lines, and subsea trunk lines.

© 2021 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Categories
Acquisitions Clayton Homes

Berkshire Hathaway’s Clayton Homes Acquires Richmond, Virginia-Based Home Builder

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway’s Clayton Homes has added to the rapidly growing number of site-built homes companies that it owns with the acquisition of Richmond, Virginia-based CraftMaster Homes.

On July 1, Clayton’s Clayton Properties Group used its South Carolina-based Mungo Homes to acquire CraftMaster Homes. CraftMaster Homes is Clayton’s first site-builder in Virginia.

The company is headed by Jeff Tunstall, who has been building homes in the Richmond-area for the past twenty years and will be staying with the company.

“We are thrilled to align CraftMaster Homes with a company who shares our values and drive to create an enjoyable customer experience,” Tunstall said. “This opportunity will allow us to grow our team and our footprint in the Richmond housing market. We take pride in the homes we build and the lives we touch, and we are excited to be able to reach even further with our partnership with Mungo Homes.”

“The partnership with Clayton has given us this opportunity to grow,” Steven Mungo, CEO of Mungo Homes notes. “The joining of CraftMaster Homes and Mungo Homes creates tremendous synergy and adds a strategic location to the Mungo footprint. We are excited to work together, to learn from one another, and to serve the housing needs of the Richmond area for years to come.”

Mungo Homes itself was acquired by Clayton Homes in 2018, and Clayton has been moving aggressively to add site-builders to its subsidiary Clayton Properties Group. CraftMaster Homes is its 13th acquisition since it began acquiring companies in 2015.

Acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 2003 for $1.7 billion, Clayton Homes has grown into a diverse builder offering traditional site-built homes, modular homes, manufactured homes, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks and apartments.

© 2021 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Categories
Acquisitions Clayton Homes

Clayton Homes Acquires Alabama Site-Builder Legacy Homes

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway’s Clayton Homes has once again expanded its footprint in the site-built homes market with the acquisition of a site-building company in Huntsville, Alabama.

In June, Clayton’s Goodall Homes, a major site-builder in Nashville, Tennessee, acquired Legacy Homes, the largest private homebuilder in the Huntsville market, including Huntsville, Athens, New Market, Meridianville, and Monrovia.

Legacy Homes is constructing over 400 homes in 2021, and has built over 1,500 homes since the company’s founding in 2013.

The addition of Legacy Homes will allow Goodall Homes to continue to expand its new home footprint in North Alabama.

The current Legacy Homes leadership team will retain their roles within the company, with Jeff Korotky continuing in the role of division president.

Combined, the four principals of Legacy Homes – Korotky, Mark Hunter, Shawn Fairburn and Dan Nash – have more than 100 years of experience in the home building industry.

“The Legacy Homes team is thrilled to be a part of the Goodall family and looks forward to continuing our commitment to excellence with a group that values culture, character and integrity, and makes customer experience a top priority,” Jeff Korotky said.

Legacy Homes is the twelfth site-builder that Clayton Homes has acquired since it first started adding site-builders in 2016.

Acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 2003 for $1.7 billion, Clayton Homes has grown into a diverse builder offering traditional site-built homes, modular homes, manufactured homes, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks and apartments.

© 2021 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Categories
Acquisitions Clayton Homes

Clayton Homes Subsidiary Arbor Homes Acquires R&R Plumbing

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Clayton Homes subsidiary Arbor Homes has acquired R&R Plumbing Inc. in a deal that closed July 1.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Former owner Dick Poynter, who founded R&R in 1989, will remain as president and continue daily management of the operations. R&R has more than 90 employees.

“On behalf of the entire R&R Plumbing community, we are honored to join the Arbor Homes team and look forward to doing our part in providing high-quality affordable housing to central Indiana for many years to come,” Poynter said.

Founded in 1994, Arbor Homes was acquired in July 2018 by Berkshire Hathaway’s Clayton Properties Group Inc., a division of Berkshire Hathaway.

The R&R acquisition is the second for Arbor since it became part of Clayton Properties.

In December 2020, the company acquired Franklin-based Fisher Contracting, a land development company.

Arbor filed 1,372 single-family building permits in 2020, up from 1,188 the previous year. It has built more than 14,000 new homes in the Indianapolis area since its founding in 1994.

“We are excited to welcome this like-minded company into the Arbor Homes family,” Pete Logan, chief operating officer for Arbor said in written rcoook. “This partnership will help expand our mission of building great neighborhoods and homes for people across the state, where they can fully experience and celebrate life.”

Acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 2003 for $1.7 billion, Clayton Homes has grown into a diverse builder offering traditional site built homes, modular homes, manufactured homes, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks and apartments.

© 2021 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Categories
Acquisitions Berkshire Hathaway Energy HomeServices of America

Berkshire’s HomeServices of America Acquires Americana Holdings

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway’s HomeServices of America, Inc. has acquired Americana Holdings, one of the largest independently owned and operated Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices franchisees. With the acquisition, HomeServices of America adds nearly 3,000 sales associates in 32 offices in communities throughout Arizona, Southern Nevada, and Orange County.

Americana Holdings operates across three states as Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Arizona Properties, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties.

The acquisition also includes Americana Holdings’ interests in the following title and escrow companies: Legendary Title Agency (Arizona), Legendary Escrow Services (California), and Equity Title (Nevada).

With this transaction, HomeServices has nearly 46,250 real estate professionals operating in more than 900 offices across 32 states.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Americana Holdings joined the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network as an independent franchisee in 2014 and with this transaction, now joins the HomeServices’ family of wholly-owned companies.

In 2018, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Nevada Properties entered the Inc 5000 Hall of Fame after being named as one of the country’s fastest-growing private companies for five years. In 2018, it also was ranked No. 32 on the Swanepoel Mega 1000, a list of the largest real estate brokerages in the U.S. by sales volume.

Mark Stark, the company’s chief executive officer, has nearly 40 years of real estate experience and is among real estate’s most recognized and influential leaders. In 2020, Stark was named among the “Most Powerful People in Real Estate” in the Swanepoel Power 200. Stark, together with president and chief operating officer Gordon Miles, will continue to lead Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Arizona, California, and Nevada Properties’ strategic planning and growth initiatives as well as manage the company’s day-to-day operations.

“Mark and Gordon, together with their team of extraordinary sales managers and agents, have built an exceptional organization and demonstrate a level of expertise and leadership that is second-to-none in the real estate business today,” said Gino Blefari, CEO of HomeServices of America and chair of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.

“HomeServices is an outstanding organization,” said Stark. “When you combine the incredible strength of our people and the history of our success with Gino’s unsurpassed leadership and the spirit of innovation and the financial strength of HomeServices, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.”

“We are committed to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Arizona, California, and Nevada Properties’ continued growth and success,” concluded Blefari. “We look forward to working with Mark and his team and are very proud to welcome them to the HomeServices family.”

The acquisition extends HomeServices’ national footprint to Nevada and further expands its presence in both Arizona and California. Now serving these areas from the HomeServices family of companies are Tucson-based Long Realty, a HomeServices company since 1999; San Diego-based Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (2002); Fresno-based Guarantee Real Estate (2013); and Silicon Valley-based Intero Real Estate (2014).

HomeServices is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Energy, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.

© 2021 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Categories
Acquisitions Kraft Heinz

Kraft Heinz Acquiring Assan Foods

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway-backed The Kraft Heinz Company is acquiring Assan Foods from privately held Turkish conglomerate Kibar Holding in a deal that values the enterprise at approximately $100 million.

Assan Foods is a rapidly growing sauces-focused business with local manufacturing facilities in Balikesir and Izmir that has been a certified production partner for Kraft Heinz since 2019 and offers Kraft Heinz the opportunity to build its retail and foodservice business across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The deal is expected to be completed in the second half of 2021.

“This is a great opportunity to accelerate our international growth strategy centered on Taste Elevation,” said Rafael Oliveira, International Zone President at Kraft Heinz. “We believe Assan Foods is a high-performance organization that brings best-in-class local innovation and production of sauces and tomato products, as well as a significant distribution network in the fast-growing foodservice channel, enabling us to further build our scale and agility by expanding the Heinz brand in Turkey, as well as our International Taste Elevation platform more broadly.”

Headquartered in Istanbul, Assan Foods was established in Balikesir in 1998 as a Kibar Holding investment in the food sector and evolved into one of the top producers in the region. Assan Foods manufactures and sells a wide range of products including tomato paste, ketchup, mayonnaise, and pasta and meat sauces that appeal to a variety of international cuisines and are sold under brands such as Colorado, Kingtom, and Oba, as well as private label. With approximately 400 employees, Assan Foods serves the domestic market and exports to around 50 countries on four continents.

© 2021 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Categories
Acquisitions Berkshire Hathaway Energy

Berkshire Hathaway Renewables Acquires Iowa Wind Farm

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

BHE Renewables, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, has completed the acquisition of the 54-megawatt Independence wind energy project from RPM Access LLC, a small regional developer of utility grade wind generation projects in the Midwest.

Located near Ryan, Iowa, the project consists of 18 GE 2.8-megawatt wind turbines and two GE 2.3-megawatt wind turbines and will be completed in fourth quarter 2021. The project will serve Central Iowa Power Cooperative under a 20-year power purchase agreement signed in 2020 by RPM Access.

“The addition of the Independence wind project grows our wind energy portfolio to 1,719 megawatts and provides another opportunity for us to meet the growing demand for energy generated from renewable resources,” said Alicia Knapp, president and CEO of BHE Renewables. “We are excited about this project and look forward to finding more opportunities to own and operate renewable energy resources that support a cleaner energy future.”

BHE Renewables other wind projects include the 300-megawatt Jumbo Road project near Hereford, Texas; 168-megawatt Pinyon Pines I and 132-megawatt Pinyon Pines II projects, located near Tehachapi, California; 81-megawatt Bishop Hill II project in Henry County, Illinois; 400-megawatt Grande Prairie project in Holt County, Nebraska; 72-megawatt Marshall project in Marshall County, Kansas; 212-megawatt Walnut Ridge project in Bureau County, Illinois; and the 300-megawatt Santa Rita wind project in Reagan and Irion counties in west-central Texas.

© 2021 David Mazor


Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Categories
Acquisitions Clayton Homes

Clayton Homes Acquires Its 11th Site-Builder Company

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway’s Clayton Homes has continued to expand its footprint in the site-built homes market with the acquisition of a site-building company in the Boise, Idaho metro area.

Summit Homes, a subsidiary of Berkshire’s Clayton Properties Group, has acquired Berkeley Building Co., a top residential home builder and developer based in Meridian, Idaho. The acquisition took place on May 3.

Berkeley will continue to operate under the Berkeley Building Co. brand name in its current new home communities in Boise metro, with Joe Atalla, Founder, overseeing operations. Heather Atalla will continue as Berkeley’s Founder/CFO and Jenna Englund will maintain her role as President of Berkeley, as well as the other members of their team. The addition of Berkeley will allow Summit to expand its new home footprint into Idaho as well as provide an entry into the Boise new home market.

“We are thrilled to expand into the Boise market and welcome Berkeley to the Summit family,” said Fred Delibero, CEO of Summit Homes. “It was clear that both companies share very similar core values and cultural alignment. We are both focused on providing a high-level of customer experience to our new home buyers.”

Joe Atalla launched Berkeley Building Co. in 2008 in Boise, Idaho. Berkeley currently builds in seven new home communities in the Boise market. The new home builder is also known for its commitment to charitable giving and has been a longtime supporter of St. Jude Research Hospital through its building of the St. Jude Dream Home for over a decade.

“We are excited for the opportunity to not only partner with Summit Homes and join Clayton Properties Group, but to also join the Berkshire Hathaway family,” said Joe Atalla. “Joining forces just makes sense as we are all working toward common goals: to provide a first-class homebuilding experience and provide extraordinary resources to our team members to grow and develop, both of which will be enhanced through this partnership.”

“Berkeley’s success as a builder is an impressive testament to their passion, talent and values. They have developed an outstanding team that builds exceptional homes while upholding the experience as their top priority,” said Delibero. “We could not be more excited about the future and the opportunities this will bring our buyers and team members.”

Berkeley Building Co. is the eleventh site-builder that Clayton Homes has acquired since it first started adding site-builders in 2016.

Acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 2003 for $1.7 billion, Clayton Homes has grown into a diverse builder offering traditional site-built homes, modular homes, manufactured homes, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks and apartments.

© 2021 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee

Categories
Acquisitions GEICO Insurance

GEICO Makes Insurance Acquisitions

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

Berkshire Hathaway’s auto insurer, GEICO, has acquired Republic Group No. Two Company, a Missouri corporation formed in 1965.The transaction took place in January 2021.

GEICO acquired 100% of the voting shares of Republic Group No. Two Company and control of Southern County Mutual Insurance Co., a property and casualty insurer based in Dallas, Texas.

GEICO management has indicated its intention to reinsure Southern County 100% to an affiliate; however, the reinsurance agreement has not yet been put into effect.

© 2021 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is n

Categories
Acquisitions Pilot Flying J

Berkshire’s Pilot Company Innovates With “Welcome to Pilot”

(BRK.A), (BRK.B)

In 2017, Berkshire Hathaway took a 38.6% stake in the largest operator of truck stops and rest stops in North America, Pilot Company. The company has 750 locations under the Pilot and Flying J brands.

Berkshire is purchasing its equity position from the Haslam family, the company’s founders, and is progressing towards a majority ownership of Pilot by 2024.

Jimmy Haslam, the son of the company’s founder Haslam, will remain in charge when the acquisition is completed.

In acquiring companies, Berkshire is always looking for dedicated management that will bring the same passion and drive to a company even after they no longer own a majority interest. That certainly is happening at Pilot, as the company looks to innovate the customer experience in a rapidly changing marketplace with its “Welcome to Pilot” initiative.

Recently, key marketing personnel at Pilot detailed how they are evolving Pilot’s stores with an emphasis on cashless and contactless transactions, and the overall enhancement of the customer experience.

You can hear all about Pilot’s prototype stores and innovations in “How Pilot is Changing Its Store Experience” on the At Your Convenience podcast that brings you the inside scoop on the convenience store business.

© 2021 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.