Private equity firm Bruckmann Rosser Sherrill & Co. of New York announced Wednesday that it has acquired Daisy Outdoor Products of Rogers, a private manufacturer of youth airguns and accessories founded in 1886.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
BRS made the purchase through its BRS Outdoor Sports Holdings LLC, which also owns global airgun and outdoor accessories manufacturer Gamo Outdoor SLU of Barcelona, Spain, according to a news release.
Daisy will join Gamo’s American unit, Gamo Outdoor USA of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
“It’s very early in the process, of course, but, under the new ownership, we don’t foresee any immediate changes in the foreseeable future,” Joe Murfin, vice president of public relations for Daisy, told Arkansas Business. “The two brands (Gamo and Daisy) will be marketed together. Gamo air rifles, Gamo air guns and Daisy airguns will be marketed together by the new company. But each brand will remain.”
Murfin said the new owner sees Daisy as a good foot with its other brands.
“They like our brand and … understand how we go to market with our product,” he said.
Daisy makes and sells traditional air gun items such as BB and pellet rifles and pistols, ammunition for those guns, gun cases, slingshots and other accessories. Its most famous product is the Red Ryder BB gun.
Daisy has 65 employees, but that number goes up to about 100 in the fall to accommodate increased demand for its products during the holidays, Murfin said. The company moved its assembly operation to the 100,000-SF facility in Rogers from Neosho, Missouri, in 2007.
Murfin added that Daisy had been owned by private equity firm Charter Oak Partners of Westport, Connecticut, for 23 years, and “that’s a long time for a private equity group to hold an investment.”
“But I think it more comes down to that BRS is very invested in and very interested in the airgun business,” he said.
“We look forward to strengthening the company’s position in the youth market and are very pleased for BRS Outdoor Sports and Gamo to be involved with the next chapter of growth for Daisy,” Stephen Sherrill, co-founder and managing director of BRS, said in the news release. “We are excited for the future, with a vision to grow both the Daisy brand and recreational shooting.”
Murfin said the new owner had not yet announced plans to grow Daisy, and this deal was in the works for several months because “a lot of details (are) associated with a transaction of this size.”
“We cannot begin to express the excitement we feel with the addition of Daisy to our family of shooting and outdoor brands,” Keith Higginbotham, president of Gamo Outdoor USA, said. “We believe this is a great combination as Gamo is deeply rooted in the outdoors, Daisy is a part of Americana and we both share a passion for the shooting sports.”
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