River Associates Announces the Successful Exit of Trident Solutions

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- River Associates Investments, L.P. ("River Associates"), a longstanding lower middle market private equity firm based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is pleased to announce the sale of Trident Solutions ("Trident" or the "Company") to Align Capital Partners ("ACP"). The transaction closed on August 31, 2026, and represents River Associates' third exit of the year.

Headquartered in Plano, Texas, Trident is a leading provider of safety marking, identification and damage prevention solutions serving the utility, infrastructure, construction, industrial, and OEM markets. Through its portfolio of trusted brands – Presco, Pro-Line Safety Products, William Frick & Company, Rhino Marking & Protection Systems, LEM Products, and Uticom Systems – Trident offers a comprehensive suite of products including tracer wire, marking posts, stake flags, markers, signs and tags, tape, labels, and engineered films designed to protect workers, the public, and critical infrastructure.

"We are incredibly grateful for River Associates' partnership," said Blair Cook, CEO of Trident. "They not only brought relevant experience and valuable resources but also trusted our management team to lead while building Trident into a stronger and more customer focused company. River was a true partner throughout the process, helping us to scale the business thoughtfully and position Trident for the next stage of growth."

"Looking back at what this team accomplished during our hold period, it is not hard to be impressed," said Blake Lewis, Principal at River Associates. "The management team integrated five acquisitions, consolidated facilities, implemented operational improvements, and never lost sight of the customer. That combination of collaboration, hard work, and focus is the reason Trident was able to create such a strong market position. We are forever grateful to the entire Trident organization for their partnership and look forward to watching their continued success in the years ahead."

Patten Pettway, Blake Lewis, Jacob Poe and Matt McMahan worked alongside Trident's management team on the transaction. Baird served as financial advisor to River Associates and Trident in the sale transaction, and Holland & Knight LLP served as their legal advisor. ACP was advised by Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP.

For more information or to share potential opportunities, contact Mark Jones or Kirby Poindexter.

About River Associates:
River Associates is a private equity firm based in Chattanooga, TN, which has focused exclusively on investing in the lower middle market for over 35 years. Target businesses can be privately held, private equity-backed, or divestitures from larger companies in the U.S. and Canada with initial EBITDA in the $3-12 million range. River Associates is opportunistic as to industry and has invested in numerous niche manufacturers, high margin distributors, industrial service providers and business service companies. Since its founding in 1989, River Associates has completed more than 130 transactions and is investing its eighth investment fund with $345 million of committed capital. For more information, visit www.riverassociates.com.

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SOURCE River Associates Investments