## KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Arsenal Capital Partners has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Velcro Companies from the Cripps Foundation, with the transaction expected to close in Q4 2026; deal terms were not disclosed.
- The Cripps Foundation will retain a minority shareholder position in the privately held British manufacturer, which has operated its flagship manufacturing center in Manchester, New Hampshire for nearly 70 years.
- Velcro employs 2,400 people globally, including approximately 400 in Manchester and nearly 200 in Somersworth, following the company's April announcement to consolidate textile manufacturing from Manchester to its Somersworth facility.
- Velcro is the sole U.S. manufacturer of hook and loop fasteners, serving medical, data center, personal care, consumer, industrial, transportation, defense, and apparel sectors, positioning it as a market-leading specialty materials business aligned with Arsenal's investment thesis.
- Arsenal Capital Partners, a New York-based private equity firm, views Velcro as well-positioned in next-generation hook and loop fastener technologies and evolving global fastener market demands.
## DETAILED SUMMARY
Arsenal Capital Partners has secured a majority stake acquisition in Velcro Companies from the Cripps Foundation, the British privately held entity that has controlled the manufacturer. The transaction was announced on May 26, 2026, and is anticipated to close during the fourth quarter of 2026. The Cripps Foundation will maintain minority shareholder status following the deal's completion. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Velcro Companies operates as the only U.S. manufacturer of hook and loop fasteners, a product category with extensive applications across multiple industries including medical devices, data center infrastructure, personal care, consumer goods, industrial applications, transportation, defense, and apparel. The company maintains a global workforce of 2,400 employees. Domestically, approximately 400 employees work at the Manchester, New Hampshire facility—the company's historic manufacturing center established nearly 70 years ago—while nearly 200 staff members are based at the Somersworth production facility. In April 2026, Velcro announced plans to consolidate textile manufacturing operations from its Manchester location to the Somersworth facility, though the company reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining operations in New Hampshire.
Arsenal Capital Partners, headquartered in New York, characterized Velcro as a strategic fit within its portfolio focus on market-leading specialty materials businesses. Ryan Berman, managing director at Arsenal, stated that the company is "at the forefront of the next generation of hook & loop technologies and especially well-positioned to meet the globally evolving needs in fasteners." Gabriella Parisse, Velcro's CEO, expressed confidence in the partnership, noting the transaction builds on the company's strong operational performance and the enduring market strength of the Velcro brand.
