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July 2025: Onward Capital portfolio company, Century Drill & Tool, Acquires Everlast Saw of North America and Ridge Carbide Tool

CHICAGO (July 17, 2025) – Onward Capital announced today that portfolio company Century Drill & Tool has acquired Hutchinson, Kansas-based Everlast Saw of North America and its wholly owned subsidiary, Ridge Carbide Tool. The merger creates a unique and dynamic tooling supply company offering best-in-class tools and solutions for professionals across the construction, woodworking, and industrial sectors. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Century Drill & Tool (https://centurydrill.com/) is headquartered in Green Bay, WI and distributes professional-grade power tool accessories and hand tools. The company’s products are found in over 15,000 retail locations nationwide and on major online retail platforms.

Everlast Saw of North America (https://everlastsaw.com/) is headquartered in Hutchinson, Kansas. The company manufactures precision-engineered circular saw blades for professional and industrial applications. Ridge Carbide Tool (https://ridgecarbidetool.com/) is a trusted name amongst woodworkers, cabinetmakers, and high-end production facilities. Known for its premium carbide-tipped saw blades, Ridge Carbide Tool exemplifies precision, accuracy, and long-lasting tool life.

Kurt Tachick, President of Century Drill & Tool noted, “The addition of Everlast Saw and Ridge Carbide Tool to the Century family significantly expands our capabilities in the cutting tool space. Both brands have long been recognized for their exceptional quality and engineering. Their reputations align perfectly with our vision of delivering reliable, high-performance tools to our customers.”

Paul Hardenburger, President and Owner of Everlast Saw of North American and Ridge Carbide Tool expressed enthusiasm and assurance in the partnership: “Joining forces with Century Drill & Tool is an exciting step forward for both brands. Their resources, industry experience, and commitment to quality make them an ideal partner. I’m confident this acquisition will allow the Everlast and Ridge legacy of innovation, craftsmanship, and customer dedication to continue thriving on an even greater scale.”

Laura Lester, Partner at Onward Capital noted, “The combined company has a strong reputation for excellence and quality. The acquisition provides Century with an entry point into the industrial space.” Marcus George added, “Onward is extremely impressed with Everlast Saw, not just with their unique capabilities and skillsets, but with its management and staff.”

About Onward Capital LLC
Onward Capital is a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on investing in and growing lower middle-market industrial businesses. The Onward Partners have completed over 60 private equity transactions and invested in excess of $600 million dollars of capital in the sector. Onward targets manufacturing, value-added distribution, and industrial services companies, typically with revenues between $20 million and $125 million. For more information on Onward Capital, please visit www.onwardcapllc.com.

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Marcus George

Partner

Marcus founded Onward Capital in 2015. He is responsible for developing investment theses, executing transactions and leading value creation within the portfolio. He is a member of the board of directors of each of Onward’s portfolio companies.

Prior to Onward Capital, Marcus was a Partner at Code Hennessy and Simmons.  He spent 18 years there, reviewed hundreds of investment opportunities and executed dozens of transactions across a variety of industries.

Prior to CHS, Marcus worked in the Corporate Finance Group of Heller Financial and he started his career at KPMG.

Marcus earned a BA in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business. He lives in Park Ridge, Illinois with his wife and their two children.

Laura Lester

Partner

Laura founded Onward Capital in 2015. She is responsible for developing investment theses, executing transactions and leading value creation within the portfolio. She is a member of the board of directors of each of Onward’s portfolio companies.

Prior to Onward Capital, Laura spent over ten years at Code Hennessy and Simmons where she reviewed hundreds of investment opportunities and executed dozens of transactions across a variety of industries.

Early in her career, Laura worked in the Investment Banking Division of Lehman Brothers where she advised industrial companies and their boards on strategic alternatives.

Laura earned a BA in Economics from Cornell University and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. She lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband and their three children.

Jack Tresley

Vice President

Jack joined Onward Capital in 2024.

Prior to Onward Capital, Jack was an Associate on the investing team at Granite Creek Capital Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm, where he evaluated, structured, executed, and managed both debt and equity investments across a wide range of lower middle market companies.

Prior to Granite Creek, Jack was an investment banking analyst at Metronome Partners, a Chicago-based investment bank, where he worked on a variety of sell-side transactions primarily for lower middle market companies.

Jack earned a BS in Finance from Indiana University, Bloomington – Kelley School of Business and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He lives in the suburbs of Chicago with his wife.