The Riverside Company, a global private investor focused on the smaller end of the middle market, has acquired Pestmaster Services, as well as four other service businesses, to launch a trade services franchise platform called Threshold Brands. The other businesses are MaidPro, FlyFoe, Men in Kilts, and USA Insulation; all were acquired during the last eight months.
Pestmaster Services was founded in 1979 by Jeff Van Diepen, who owned and operated the business the last 41 years. Van Diepen took Pestmaster Services from a one-office operation to a $14-million-firm with offices throughout the country by selling Pestmaster franchise businesses. Pestmaster provides pest control services for residential, government and commercial markets with more than 35 franchised locations and is now headquartered in Reno, Nev.
MaidPro is a national provider of residential and light commercial cleaning services through a network of more than 270 franchised locations. MaidPro brings meaningful scale with two additional brands, FlyFoe, a mosquito and tick control franchise, and Men in Kilts US, a window cleaning, power washing and gutter cleaning franchise. USA Insulation, the fifth brand added to Threshold Brands, provides retrofit insulation services for residential and commercial customers across 50 franchised locations.
“We are excited to join these organizations together, building a robust trade services platform that will help more customers across the country,” said Riverside Managing Partner Loren Schlachet. “During our partnership, we will look to bring additional businesses under the Threshold Brands umbrella, assisting with improvements in technology and innovation, growth-driven sales strategies and development opportunities for franchisees.”
Riverside has invested in a cadre of successful franchise companies, growing them through operating expertise and strategic add-ons. The Riverside Franchising Specialization team seeks to source and integrate add-on opportunities, drive growth and capture potential.