LindFast Acquires AZ Wire & Cable in Major Strategic PE-Backed Deal

NORTHBROOK, Ill. – January 08, 2026 – In a significant move that underscores ongoing consolidation and strategic diversification within the industrial distribution sector, LindFast Solutions Group (“LSG”) has acquired AZ Wire & Cable (“AZ”). The deal sees AZ, a premier master distributor of wire and cable, transition from New York-based private equity firm MFG Partners to LSG, a portfolio company of Nautic Partners. While financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, the acquisition marks a pivotal moment for all parties involved.

For AZ Wire & Cable, a company founded in 1988, it represents the beginning of a new chapter under the umbrella of a larger distribution network. For MFG Partners, it marks a successful and relatively swift exit, validating its investment strategy focused on founder-led industrial businesses. For LindFast, primarily a master distributor of fasteners, the acquisition is a bold strategic leap into the lucrative and expanding wire and cable market, promising significant opportunities for synergy and growth.

A Partnership Forged for Growth

The sale to LindFast is the culmination of a highly productive, multi-year partnership between AZ Wire & Cable and MFG Partners. Since MFG’s control investment in 2022, the two have worked in concert to aggressively scale AZ’s operations and solidify its market leadership. This period was characterized by targeted and rapid expansion, transforming the company’s national footprint and service capabilities.

A cornerstone of the growth strategy was geographic expansion. Under MFG's stewardship, AZ successfully launched new locations in California and Florida, extending its reach to better serve customers on both coasts. This expansion complemented its existing network of distribution centers in Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, and Oregon, creating a truly national service platform.

Beyond expanding its physical presence, the partnership focused on enhancing AZ’s product and service offerings through strategic acquisitions and significant investments in inventory. These moves broadened the company's portfolio of industrial, commercial, and specialty wire and cable and bolstered its value-added services, which include custom cutting, reeling, paralleling, and striping. This commitment to maintaining deep inventory levels and providing tailored solutions has long been a key differentiator for the company.

Todd Anixter, Executive Vice President of AZ, commented on the successful collaboration, stating, “Our partnership with MFG has been instrumental in AZ’s development and success. As we enter this next chapter, we are excited about the opportunities ahead and look forward to continuing to build on AZ’s strong foundation.”

Jeff Mizrahi, Partner at MFG, echoed this sentiment. “This transaction represents a successful and exciting outcome for AZ and MFG,” he said. “Since our investment in 2022, AZ has meaningfully strengthened its market position, expanded its value-added service capabilities, and continued to deliver exceptional service to its customers and vendor partners. We are proud of what the AZ team has accomplished.”

MFG Partners' Industrial Playbook

The successful exit from AZ Wire & Cable serves as a compelling case study for MFG Partners’ specialized investment philosophy. Founded in 2016 by Jeff Mizrahi and Jonathan Schilowitz, the firm concentrates on making control investments in family-, founder-, and management-owned companies within North America's industrial, manufacturing, and distribution sectors.

MFG's model is not one of passive ownership but of active partnership. The firm focuses on empowering existing leadership teams by providing strategic guidance, operational expertise, and the capital necessary to unlock latent growth potential. This approach proved highly effective with AZ, demonstrating how a focused private equity partner can accelerate a company’s trajectory. The firm’s recent success in closing its oversubscribed inaugural fund at nearly $300 million further signals strong investor confidence in this value-creation strategy.

Jonathan Schilowitz, Partner at MFG, elaborated on this core principle. “Our partnership with AZ embodies our core philosophy of empowering family- and founder-owned businesses to reach their full potential. By expanding its geographic presence and product and service offerings, AZ has unlocked significant growth. We are confident that AZ is well-positioned to continue its growth trajectory with LSG.”

A New Chapter with LindFast Solutions Group

The acquisition positions AZ Wire & Cable within a new, powerful ecosystem. LindFast Solutions Group is a leading North American master distributor of specialty fasteners, tapes, and other industrial products. Backed by private equity firm Nautic Partners, which has a history of successful investments in the distribution space, LSG has been pursuing an aggressive growth strategy through both organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.

For LSG, the purchase of AZ Wire & Cable is a significant diversification. It moves the company beyond its core fastener business into the adjacent and high-growth wire and cable market. This market is currently buoyed by powerful secular tailwinds, including massive investments in renewable energy infrastructure, the expansion of electric vehicle (EV) charging networks, data center construction, and widespread grid modernization projects. With the global wire and cable market projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of over 5%, LSG is entering a dynamic and promising sector.

AZ will reportedly continue to operate under its current leadership, a move intended to ensure continuity for customers and employees while leveraging the deep industry expertise of the Anixter family. This strategy aligns with LSG’s previous acquisitions, where it has sought to preserve the brand equity and operational strengths of the companies it brings into its fold.

Reshaping the Industrial Distribution Landscape

The integration of AZ Wire & Cable into the LindFast platform creates a more formidable and diversified player in the industrial supply chain. The most immediate opportunity lies in cross-selling. LSG can now offer a comprehensive portfolio of wire and cable to its vast network of distribution customers, while AZ’s clients gain access to one of the largest inventories of specialty fasteners in North America. This one-stop-shop potential could streamline procurement for customers and create significant revenue synergies.

Operationally, the combination of AZ’s nine strategically located distribution centers with LSG’s own extensive logistics network presents opportunities for enhanced efficiency and faster delivery times across a broader range of products. As part of a larger, well-capitalized group, AZ is also poised to receive further investment in technology, inventory, and service capabilities, strengthening its competitive advantage.

The deal highlights a broader trend of private equity-driven consolidation in fragmented industrial markets. By combining specialized distributors, PE firms like Nautic Partners are building scaled platforms capable of offering more comprehensive solutions and competing more effectively. As AZ Wire & Cable embarks on its next phase of growth with LindFast, the industry will be watching closely to see how this newly combined entity leverages its expanded scale and synergistic potential to serve the evolving needs of the industrial economy.