Chicago-based private equity firm Frontenac announced Oct. 26 that it has sold industrial distributor Motion & Control Enterprises (MCE) to fellow PE firm Bertram Capital.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

The transaction concludes Frontenac’s ownership of MCE, which began in 2018. During that period, MCE completed and integrated 27 acquisitions, significantly expanding its product and service offerings, geographic footprint and customer base.

Frontenac also helped MCE expand its leadership team, enhance its strategic sales capabilities and streamline operations, including capturing acquisition-related synergies.

Founded in 1951 and headquartered in Zelienople, Pennsylvania, MCE distributes technical fluid power, automation, flow control, rotating equipment and filtration products, alongside service and repair solutions. The company serves more than 33,000 OEM and end-user customers through 62 facilities across 18 states.

“Our CEO1ST partnership started with a thesis in technical industrial distribution assets,” MCE CEO Charles Hale said in the announcement, referring to Frontenac’s executive-focused investment strategy. “I am pleased with the progress we achieved and look forward to building on that momentum alongside Bertram.”

Frontenac recapitalized MCE in 2023 through a secondary market transaction designed to provide additional funding for organic expansion and acquisitions.

Solomon Partners served as MCE’s exclusive financial advisor, while Winston Taylor provided legal counsel.

MCE’s Recent Acquisition Activity

MCE’s acquisition strategy accelerated in recent years, including four completed transactions in 2026 after none in 2025.

Its 2026 acquisitions have been:

• August — MJ Systems: A La Porte, TX-based distributor of chemical injection pump systems, related equipment and aftermarket parts serving petrochemical and oil and gas customers along the Gulf Coast.
• August — Salentine Pump & Equipment: A Menomonee Falls, WI-based distributor of engineered pumps, parts and repair solutions serving industrial customers across Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota.
• May — Tripp Electric Motors: A Belle Glade, FL-based provider of electric motor, gearbox and pump repair and maintenance services for municipal and industrial customers.
• May — TLR Hydraulics: A Dallas-based hydraulic cylinder and pump repair provider with five locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth market.

Bertram’s Distribution Portfolio

Foster City, CA-based Bertram Capital has an established presence in industrial distribution, including current portfolio companies AFC Industries and Applied Adhesives.

Bertram acquired fasteners and C-parts distributor AFC Industries in 2021 and invested in specialty adhesives distributor Applied Adhesives in April 2025. Both have pursued additional acquisitions under Bertram’s ownership.

The firm also previously owned two other major specialty distributors. It exited Flow Control Group, a distributor of flow control and industrial automation products, through a 2021 sale to KKR. More recently, Bertram completed the January 2026 sale of construction supplies distributor NEFCO to Leonard Green & Partners.