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Francisco Partners to Acquire Majority Stake in OEConnection from Genstar Capital

via Business Wire

Francisco Partners, a leading global investment firm that specializes in partnering with technology businesses, today announced that it has agreed to acquire OEConnection LLC (“OEC” or the “Company”), a leading end-to-end platform serving as the mission-critical digital backbone for the automotive aftersales ecosystem, from Genstar Capital (“Genstar”), a leading private equity firm focused on investments in targeted segments of the software, financial services, industrials, and healthcare industries. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

OEC was founded in 2000 as a partnership between several original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”), including Ford and General Motors, to provide high-quality technology solutions to facilitate the sale of original equipment replacement parts between automakers and franchised dealers and their wholesale customers. Over time, OEC has significantly expanded its capabilities and now powers connections across a broad automotive aftersales network, serving OEMs, repair shops, and aftermarket suppliers. Its solutions enable seamless collaboration throughout the vehicle repair lifecycle, making it easier to deliver quality repairs to vehicle owners. With a global presence spanning six countries, 1,500 employees, and a customer base that includes 45 manufacturers, 30,000 auto dealers, and 135,000 wholesale customers, OEC continues to evolve as a trusted and comprehensive partner to the automotive industry, enabling the repairers who keep global mobility in motion.

“Joining forces with Francisco Partners positions OEC to build on our strong momentum and further strengthen the value we deliver to our customers and partners,” said Patrick Brown, CEO of OEC. “Our transformative partnership with Genstar has enabled us to significantly expand our offerings in collision and mechanical repair, accelerate innovation, and grow our network globally. We are pleased that Genstar, Ford, and General Motors will remain minority investors as we enter this next chapter. With Francisco Partners’ support, we look forward to continuing to deliver industry-leading solutions and improving repair outcomes for all stakeholders in the automotive aftersales ecosystem.”

“OEC’s vision of ‘eliminating the pain in the vehicle repair process’ resonates strongly with us. As the industry undergoes a generational and technological shift, OEC is uniquely positioned as a trusted partner that can deliver greater connectivity, efficiency, and profitability across the ecosystem,” said Petri Oksanen, Partner at Francisco Partners. “We are thrilled to welcome OEC to the portfolio and excited to support Patrick and his strong team in this next chapter of growth with additional resources,” added Christine Wang, Partner, and Mac Fountain, Principal, at Francisco Partners.

Eli Weiss, Managing Partner of Genstar, said, “It has been a pleasure working with Patrick and the OEC management team as they have significantly grown OEC over our ownership period. We are excited to remain a minority shareholder and are confident that under Francisco Partners’ ownership, OEC is well positioned for continued growth and success.”

Evercore is serving as exclusive financial advisor and Ropes and Gray LLP is serving as legal advisor to Genstar. Citi and TD Securities are serving as financial advisors and Paul Hastings LLP is serving as legal advisor to Francisco Partners.

About OEConnection (OEC)

OEConnection (OEC) is a leading end-to-end technology platform serving as the mission-critical digital backbone for the global automotive aftersales ecosystem. Founded in 2000 as a partnership between several major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), including Ford and General Motors, OEC has evolved to power connections across one of the broadest automotive aftersales networks, serving OEMs, repair shops, dealers, fleets, insurers, and aftermarket suppliers worldwide. OEC’s suite of software and data solutions enables seamless collaboration throughout the vehicle repair lifecycle, helping industry participants deliver quality repairs efficiently and get vehicles back on the road safely. OEC has a global presence spanning six countries, 1,500 employees, and a customer base that includes 45 manufacturers, 30,000 auto dealers, and 135,000 wholesale customers. For more information, visit www.oeconnection.com.

About Francisco Partners

Francisco Partners is a leading global investment firm that specializes in partnering with technology and technology-enabled businesses. Since its launch over 25 years ago, Francisco Partners has invested in over 500 technology companies, making it one of the most active and longstanding investors in the technology industry. With over $50 billion in capital raised to date, the firm invests in opportunities where its deep sectoral knowledge and operational expertise can help companies realize their full potential. For more information on Francisco Partners, please visit www.franciscopartners.com.

About Genstar Capital

Genstar Capital (www.gencap.com) is a leading private equity firm that has been actively investing in high-quality companies for over 35 years. Based in San Francisco, Genstar works in partnership with its management teams and its network of strategic advisors to transform its portfolio companies into industry-leading businesses. Genstar currently has approximately $50 billion of assets under management and targets investments focused on targeted segments of the software, financial services, industrials, and healthcare industries.

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