Boxwood Partners Advises Color World Housepainting on Its Acquisition by Authority Brands
Latest Boxwood transaction continues the firm’s momentum as a premier M&A advisor to leading franchise brands
Jupiter, FL – (January 12, 2022) – Boxwood Partners is pleased to announce the sale of Color World Housepainting to Authority Brands, a family of industry-leading home service franchise brands.
Boxwood Partners, a leading middle-market investment bank based in Jupiter, Florida, was the sell-side advisor to Color World during the transaction. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Founded in 1997 by Tom Hodgson, Color World has transformed from a local house painting business into one of the nation’s leading providers of interior and exterior painting, power washing, carpentry and drywall repair, staining, gutter installation, and holiday lighting services. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and with 20 franchise locations throughout the United States, Color World has become a one-stop-shop delivering outstanding results and producing satisfied customers across the nation.
“I started Color World back in 1997, painting my way through college, and I always sought to have the largest, most esteemed painting franchise in the country. Now, during Color World’s 25th anniversary year, to join the Authority Brands family is a monumental step in achieving that goal. We at Color World are honored to have the opportunity,” said Tom Hodgson, Founder and CEO of Color World. “Authority Brands’ experience building some of the world’s best franchise brands will help us better serve our customers and our franchisees as we continue to scale.”
The deal marks the latest in a series of 13 franchise transactions and 21 total transactions in which Boxwood Partners has advised over the past 24 months.
“Boxwood Partners’ deep understanding of the franchise landscape was a tremendous asset to Color World,” said Mr. Hodgson. “I sincerely appreciate their valuable advice and guidance throughout this process.”
Boxwood Partners Managing Partner J. Patrick Galleher, Managing Director Brian Alas, and Associate Dan Alfano led the process.
“Tom and his team have developed a high-quality franchise system that has consistently produced satisfied customers and franchisees,” said Galleher. “Color World’s service catalog provides several opportunities to establish strong customer relationships, and its house painting concept fits the Authority Brands portfolio perfectly. With additional resources, Color World is well-positioned for continued growth.”
Authority Brands’ companies operate across the residential cleaning, at-home care, swimming pool repair and maintenance, pest control services, plumbing, electrical and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (“HVAC”), tree care, pet waste removal and restoration sectors.
“We’re excited to welcome Color World Housepainting to the Authority Brands family and to further diversify our portfolio,” said Rob Weddle, CEO of Authority Brands. “Tom has developed a terrific business model and has taken the Color World brand to a national stage. We are eager to scale the business to the next level as we put our full pool of resources behind this innovative brand.”
The acquisition marks the ninth brand addition for Authority Brands since October 2018, with Color World representing the company’s eleventh brand in its home service portfolio.
Lane Fisher and JoyAnn Kenny of Fisher Zucker LLP served as legal counsel to Color World.
About Boxwood Partners
Boxwood Partners, LLC, is a boutique investment bank based in Jupiter, Florida with offices in Richmond, Virginia. Boxwood Partners combines a unique blend of senior-level transaction advisory, business operating experience, and proven process execution skills to give its clients a distinct advantage in the market. The firm’s extensive relationships within the global capital and buyer communities (including U.S. and international private equity groups, corporations, and lenders) and other important transaction-related service providers such as consultants, attorneys, and accountants, ensure that the firm’s clients receive the attention, service, and results they deserve.
For more information about Boxwood Partners, please visit www.boxwoodpartners.com
About Authority Brands
Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, Authority Brands’ companies include 11 leading home service franchisors: America’s Swimming Pool Company, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, The Cleaning Authority, Color World Housepainting, DoodyCalls, Homewatch CareGivers, Mister Sparky, Monster Tree Service, Mosquito Squad, One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, and STOP Restoration. Together, these brands provide home services through more than 1,900 territories operated by more than 1,000 franchise owners. Authority Brands is dedicated to supporting individual franchise owner growth by providing strong marketing, technology, and operational support.
See https://www.authoritybrands.com for more information.
About Color World Housepainting
Color World Housepainting is one of the nation’s leading interior and exterior painting service providers for both homeowners and businesses. Aside from painting services, Color World also offers power washing, carpentry and drywall repair, staining, gutter installation, and holiday lighting services. The Company was founded in 1997 by Tom Hodgson in Powell, OH, a suburb of Columbus. In 2015, the company began franchising nationwide and currently has over 60 territories across 12 states.
See https://www.colorworldhousepainting.com for more information.
