Deal Timeline

Plotted by close date where disclosed, otherwise announcement. Select any marker to jump to the deal entry.

The Acquisition Playbook.

Three patterns run through Federal Signal's acquisitions — what it looks for, how it pays, and how it folds in what it buys.

01
Acquisition criteria
Serial bolt-on acquirer of specialty-vehicle and equipment makers concentrated i...
Serial bolt-on acquirer of specialty-vehicle and equipment makers concentrated in its Environmental Solutions Group, adding adjacent product lines (dump bodies, refuse trucks, road-marking/waterblasting, off-road maintenance vehicles) around leading brands like Vactor, Elgin, TBEI, and New Way.
Westech Vac Systems Ltd.Joe Johnson Equipment (JJE)Truck Bodies & Equipment International (TBEI / GenNx-TBEI Intermediate Co.)Mark Rite Lines Equipment Company (MRL)Public Works Equipment and Supply, Inc. (PWE)
02
Capital deployment
Consistently pairs product-line acquisitions with distribution/dealer roll-ups (...
Consistently pairs product-line acquisitions with distribution/dealer roll-ups (Joe Johnson Equipment, Public Works Equipment, Standard Equipment, Kinloch) to expand its aftermarket and geographic footprint across North America.
Westech Vac Systems Ltd.Joe Johnson Equipment (JJE)Truck Bodies & Equipment International (TBEI / GenNx-TBEI Intermediate Co.)Mark Rite Lines Equipment Company (MRL)Public Works Equipment and Supply, Inc. (PWE)
03
Integration approach
Disciplined, mostly cash-funded deals via its revolving credit facility, frequen...
Disciplined, mostly cash-funded deals via its revolving credit facility, frequently structured as asset purchases with contingent earn-outs (Deist, Blasters, Trackless), ranging from sub-$10M tuck-ins to the transformational ~$404M New Way acquisition.
Westech Vac Systems Ltd.Joe Johnson Equipment (JJE)Truck Bodies & Equipment International (TBEI / GenNx-TBEI Intermediate Co.)Mark Rite Lines Equipment Company (MRL)Public Works Equipment and Supply, Inc. (PWE)

The Full Deal Book

16 acquisitions — each with the deal value, financing structure, target revenue, and executive commentary where disclosed.

01 Westech Vac Systems Ltd. $6.0M
Announced Jan 2016 Closed Jan 2016

Acquired the Canadian manufacturer of rugged vacuum trucks (from Advance Engineered Products) to enter a new product line and expand the Environmental Solutions Group's reach into new markets.

02 Joe Johnson Equipment (JJE) $96.6M
Announced Jun 2016 Closed Jun 2016

Acquired the Canadian-based distributor of municipal and industrial maintenance equipment to broaden the aftermarket/distribution platform and expand Federal Signal's footprint across North America. US$96.6 million initial (plus deferred C$8.0M and contingent consideration).

03 Truck Bodies & Equipment International (TBEI / GenNx-TBEI Intermediate Co.) $271.8M
Announced Jun 2017 Closed Jun 2017

Federal Signal's largest bolt-on: acquired the leading U.S. manufacturer of dump truck bodies and trailers, strengthening the Environmental Solutions Group's chassis-based specialty-vehicle position and rebalancing municipal vs. industrial revenue mix. US$271.8 million initial (inclusive of cash acquired; later reduced ~$3.0M for working capital).

04 Mark Rite Lines Equipment Company (MRL) $49.8M
Announced Jul 2019 Closed Jul 2019

Acquired the U.S. manufacturer of truck-mounted and ride-on road-marking and line-removal equipment (including HighMark Traffic Services), giving an efficient entry into a new product line and new markets.

05 Public Works Equipment and Supply, Inc. (PWE) $6.2M
Announced Jun 2020 Closed Jun 2020

Acquired certain assets and operations of the distributor of maintenance and infrastructure equipment covering the Carolinas and parts of Tennessee, extending Federal Signal's dealer/distribution network.

06 OSW Equipment & Repair, LLC $52.5M
Announced Feb 2021 Closed Feb 2021

Acquired the manufacturer of dump truck bodies and custom truck-equipment upfitter (including subsidiaries Northend Truck Equipment and Western Truck Body), expanding the Company's geographic footprint and dump-body/trailer product offerings. US$52.5 million initial.

07 Ground Force Manufacturing LLC $43.1M
Announced Oct 2021 Closed Oct 2021

Acquired the leading manufacturer of specialty material-handling vehicles supporting metals extraction, further building Federal Signal's diversified specialty-vehicle platform for maintenance and infrastructure markets.

08 Deist Industries (Deist / Bucks Fabricating / Roll-Off Parts / Switch-N-Go) $38.1M
Announced Dec 2021 Closed Dec 2021

Acquired the designer/manufacturer of interchangeable truck-body systems and waste-hauling products (front/rear loaders, roll-off containers), strengthening Federal Signal's specialty-vehicle position and geographic footprint. US$38.1 million (plus contingent earn-out of up to US$7.5 million).

09 TowHaul Corporation $43.3M
Announced Oct 2022 Closed Oct 2022

Acquired the leading manufacturer of off-road towing and hauling equipment, bolstering Federal Signal's position as a diversified specialty-vehicle maker for maintenance and infrastructure markets with a strong aftermarket platform.

10 Blasters, Inc. and Blasters Technologies, LLC $13.0M
Announced Jan 2023 Closed Jan 2023

Acquired the U.S. manufacturer of truck-mounted waterblasting equipment, adding to Federal Signal's road-marking and surface-preparation product lines in the Environmental Solutions Group. US$13.0 million initial (plus contingent earn-out of up to US$8.0 million).

11 Trackless Vehicles (Trackless Vehicles Limited / Trackless Vehicles Asset Corp / Work Equipment Ltd.) $54.0M
Announced Apr 2023 Closed Apr 2023

Acquired the leading Canadian manufacturer of off-road, multi-purpose maintenance vehicles and attachments, extending the Company's specialty-vehicle portfolio into all-season municipal/infrastructure equipment. C$54.0 million (~US$40.0 million) initial, plus contingent earn-out of up to C$6.0 million (~US$4.4 million).

12 Standard Equipment Company $39.6M
Announced Oct 2024 Closed Oct 2024

Acquired substantially all assets and operations of the leading distributor of specialty maintenance and infrastructure equipment for municipal and industrial markets in parts of Illinois and Indiana, deepening Federal Signal's dealer network. US$39.6 million initial.

13 Waterblasting, LLC / Hog Technologies (and Waterblasting Eurasia s.r.o.) $82.5M
Announced Feb 2025 Closed Feb 2025

Acquired the leading U.S. manufacturer of truck-mounted road-marking, line-removal, and waterblasting equipment serving infrastructure, municipal, and airport markets, expanding Federal Signal's surface-maintenance product portfolio. US$82.5 million initial.

14 Scranton Manufacturing Company (New Way Trucks) $403.6M
Announced Nov 2025 Closed Nov 2025

Acquired the leading U.S. designer and manufacturer of refuse collection vehicles, a transformational bolt-on that strengthens Federal Signal's position as a diversified industrial manufacturer of specialty vehicles. US$403.6 million (initial payment, net of cash acquired).

The Company expects the acquisition of New Way will strengthen its position as an industry-leading, diversified industrial manufacturer of specialty vehicles.
15 Kinloch Equipment & Supply, Inc. $14.9M
Announced Dec 2025 Closed Dec 2025

Acquired certain assets and operations of the Texas-based distributor of maintenance and infrastructure equipment, further extending Federal Signal's distribution reach.

16 Mega Corp. $45M
Announced Jan 2026 Closed Jan 2026

Acquired all outstanding equity of Mega Corp. and a related production facility; Mega is a leading manufacturer of specialty vehicles and equipment for global metal-extraction and construction markets, deepening Federal Signal's industrial-market depth. ~US$45 million initial.

Mega represents a compelling strategic fit that enhances our depth in the global metal extraction and construction markets.

More Acquirer Playbooks

See how VectorShift works for your firm

Request Demo