Mergers & Acquisitions

Home Appliances Distributor R&B Wholesale Privately Acquired

Joining forces with Platinum will give R&B Wholesale additional financial and operational tools to enable growth, company officials said.

February 10, 2025

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Private equity firm Platinum Equity announced a significant investment in home appliance distributor R&B Wholesale Distributors.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Ontario, CA, R&B has served customers in the southwestern U.S. since it was founded in 1968 by Bob Burggraf. The company touts itself as a leading distributor of major home appliances —with an emphasis on kitchen and laundry products — in California, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.

The company sells primarily through the dealer, builder and property management channels and serves the multi-family, single-family and light commercial end markets.

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“R&B has built an impressive, diversified business over the past 57 years with an opportunity to expand its reach and increase its scale,” said Platinum Equity Co-President Jacob Kotzubei in a Feb. 4 news release. “We have tremendous respect for everything the Burggraf family has achieved and appreciate the entrepreneurial spirit that continues to drive the company today. Platinum has a lot of experience helping founder-led businesses sustain their culture while leveraging our operational expertise and M&A capabilities to maximize their potential.”

The Burggraf family retained a minority ownership stake in the company and R&B executives Connie Espina and Chris Burggraf will continue to lead the business.

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“Joining forces with Platinum will provide us with additional financial and operational tools, enabling us to continue to grow with both our valued customers and suppliers and to preserve our legacy for generations to come,” Bob Burggraf said.

Platinum Equity Managing Director Dan Krasner described R&B as a “well-established distribution platform that offers an impressive product range, high-touch sales support, and flexible delivery and installation in order to provide the highest quality services to customers.”

He added: “We believe that further investing in the company’s go-to-market capabilities, technology, and footprint will position us well for continued success. We look forward to partnering with the company’s leadership team to grow the business organically and through prospective M&A.”

Raymond James & Associates served as the sell-side financial advisor to R&B Wholesale.

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