Smart Care Announces Q4 Acquisitions


Activity strengthens Smart Care’s capabilities in the Southeast and South Central regions

Deanna Dicristo January 30, 2024

Chicago, Ill. – (BUSINESSWIRE) – January 30, 2024 — Smart Care, a portfolio company of Wind Point Partners (“Wind Point”), is pleased to announce three acquisitions completed in the fourth quarter of 2023. They include: Watson Refrigeration, Inc., (“Watson”), a commercial refrigeration equipment installation and repair company; A Advantage Air, Inc., (“A Advantage”), a commercial kitchen equipment and HVAC repair and installation company; and Metroplex Refrigeration, Inc., (“Metroplex”), a commercial repair, installation, leasing and planned maintenance company for commercial refrigeration and ice machine equipment.

The moves further Smart Care’s growth strategy and expand the reach and breadth of its capabilities and coverage areas. With the inclusion of A Advantage, Smart Care bolsters existing capabilities in Alabama, while the addition of Watson expands its commercial and industrial refrigeration capabilities in North Carolina and the surrounding region. Adding Metroplex increases Smart Care’s operational density in the North Texas market.

The addition of these three companies represents Smart Care’s tenth, eleventh and twelfth acquisitions overall since partnering with Wind Point.

Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Watson is a provider of installation, emergency repair, and preventative maintenance services for refrigeration equipment. Watson joins Smart Care’s Climate Solutions business, which specializes in refrigeration systems and is known for service quality and engineering expertise.

A Advantage, based in Birmingham, Alabama, provides emergency repair, installation, and preventative maintenance services for refrigeration, HVAC and cooking equipment. A Advantage joins Smart Care’s Foodservice Equipment Solutions business, which specializes in commercial kitchen equipment services and has developed a reputation for service excellence supported by a high-quality technician base.

As foodservice industry refrigeration specialists since 1985, Metroplex repairs, maintains, and installs all forms of refrigeration equipment – as well as leases ice machines – for the commercial foodservice industry throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and surrounding area. Metroplex also joins Smart Care’s Foodservice Equipment Solutions business.

Headquartered in Chicago, Ill., Smart Care is a market leader in stand-alone refrigeration, rack refrigeration, HVAC, hot-side commercial cooking and specialty coffee and beverage equipment. Its Climate Solutions business serves customers spanning grocers, warehouse operators, convenience stores and restaurants across the U.S.; and its Foodservice Equipment Solutions business serves the needs of restaurants, convenience stores, corporate facilities, and grocers.

“I am thrilled to welcome great businesses like Watson, A Advantage and Metroplex into the Smart Care organization,” stated Henry Lees-Buckley, CEO of Smart Care Solutions. “These best-in-class service organizations bring strong capabilities that fit well with our strategy of accelerating growth and expanding presence with existing customers in attractive geographies.

Konrad Salaber, Managing Director at Wind Point, remarked, “We’re excited to scale our ability to deliver exceptional quality service to customers at the local and national level. These three acquisitions are a great fit, and we look forward to sponsoring their next phase of growth in these key markets.”

Smart Care will continue to seek strategic acquisition opportunities, with a focus on leading commercial refrigeration, kitchen equipment and HVAC repair and maintenance service providers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

About Smart Care

Smart Care is the largest provider of comprehensive commercial mechanical services, including stand-alone refrigeration, HVAC, complex rack refrigeration, hot and cold-side foodservice equipment, and specialty coffee and beverage. Smart Care’s strong reputation and leading customer service is built on the foundation of a high-quality technician base, an unmatched breadth of repair and preventative maintenance services and quick response times. Smart Care is OEM-agnostic with the ability to service more than 10,000 types of equipment for food retail, restaurants, convenience stores, warehouse operators and other institutions. The company is headquartered in Chicago, Ill. with operations in all 50 states.

Additional information about Smart Care is available at www.smartcaresolutions.com.

About Watson Refrigeration

Watson is a premier commercial refrigeration equipment services company specializing in installation, emergency repair and preventative maintenance. Since 1988, Watson has provided critical services to customers across grocery, food distribution centers and restaurants throughout the North Carolina region.

Additional information about Watson is available at www.watsonrefrigerationinc.net.

About A Advantage Air

A Advantage Air is a premier commercial kitchen equipment and HVAC services company specializing in emergence repair, installation, and preventative maintenance. Since 1996, A Advantage Air has provided critical services to customers across restaurants, convenience stores and foodservice operators throughout the Alabama region.

Additional information about A Advantage Air is available at www.aadvantageair.com.

About Metroplex Refrigeration

Metroplex Refrigeration, founded in 1985, offers repair, installation, leasing and planned maintenance for commercial refrigeration and ice machine equipment. They provide critical emergency repair and preventive maintenance services to restaurants, convenience stores and other foodservice operators throughout Dallas/Fort Worth, TX and the surrounding area.

Additional information about Metroplex Refrigeration is available at www.metroplexrefrig.com.

About Wind Point Partners

Wind Point Partners is a Chicago-based private equity investment firm with approximately $6 billion in assets under management. Wind Point focuses on partnering with top caliber management teams to acquire well-positioned middle market businesses where it can establish a clear path to value creation. The firm targets investments in the consumer products, industrial products and business services sectors. Wind Point is currently investing out of Wind Point Partners X, a fund that was initiated in 2022.

Additional information about Wind Point is available at www.wppartners.com.

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