NEW YORK, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kinderhook Industries, LLC ("Kinderhook") is proud to earn PE Hub's Mid-Cap North America Deal of the Year Award for the sale of Vehicle Accessories Inc. ("Vehicle Accessories," "VAI," or the "Company") to RealTruck Group, Inc. ("RealTruck"). Kinderhook began building the platform in February 2019, pursuing a disciplined buy-and-build strategy focused on assembling the most attractive category-leading businesses. Over the ownership period, Kinderhook and its management partners completed six acquisitions, expanding from one to 5+ product categories and growing OEM relationships from five to 20+. The fully integrated business emerged as a strategic asset within the OEM dealer accessories ecosystem, making VAI a natural acquisition for RealTruck.

VAI is an integrated manufacturer of functional vehicle accessories including all-weather floor mats, running boards, protective door edge guards, splash guards, body side moldings, bumper protectors, and door sills. Headquartered in Mesquite, TX, Vehicle Accessories produces accessories for leading automotive brands including Toyota®, Lexus®, Ford®, Subaru®, Nissan®, Infiniti®, Honda®, Hyundai®, and General Motors®.

PE Hub's Mid-Cap North America Deal of the Year Award recognizes the sale of a North America based company in 2025 with an enterprise value between $200 million and $1 billion at the time of exit. To be considered for the Deal of the Year award, the original purchase must involve a majority stake purchase, full or partial private equity sponsorship, and result in the target company remaining private or going private. The firm must have exited at least the majority of its equity position, and therefore must no longer be the lead investor. Read more about the methodology here.

"PE Hub's recognition is a meaningful validation of the work that went into building VAI into a differentiated platform," said Tom Tuttle, Chairman of Kinderhook. "We believed early on that the dealer-installed accessories channel represented a compelling and underappreciated niche, and we were able to partner with our longtime operating partner J. Pearson to build a scaled business that was strategically attractive to RealTruck."

"VAI is a great example of Kinderhook's playbook in action," said Nathan Druckenmiller, Principal at Kinderhook. "By partnering closely with management, applying our sector expertise and staying focused on long-term value creation, we were able to help build a differentiated business and deliver an outstanding outcome."

This award was announced on March 16, 2026, and is the opinion of PE Hub and not that of Kinderhook. Kinderhook did not provide compensation for this third-party award.

About Kinderhook Industries

Founded in 2003, Kinderhook Industries, LLC is a private investment firm that has raised over $10 billion of committed capital. We have made in excess of 500 investments and follow-on acquisitions since inception. Kinderhook's investment philosophy is predicated on matching differentiated, growth-oriented investment opportunities with financial expertise and our proprietary network of operating partners. Our focus is on middle market businesses with defensible niche market positioning in the healthcare services, environmental & industrial services, and light manufacturing & automotive sectors.

For more information, please visit: www.kinderhook.com

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SOURCE Kinderhook Industries