Insights

ATLANTA –  Georgia Oak Partners, an Atlanta-based investment firm, has officially announced their minority equity investment in Emerald Transportation Solutions, a premier manufacturer and seller of refrigerated trucks and vans. 

Founded in 2014 by Joe Dickman with co-owner Todd Cawley, Emerald Transportation Solutions designs and retrofits custom vehicles. Emerald consistently provides a highly innovative line of refrigerated vehicle solutions to their broad customer base, which ranges from local retail businesses to Fortune 500 companies. Their solutions have a payload range from 1,000 pounds to 15,000 pounds. 

In just under a decade, Emerald has grown at an approximate 25% CAGR due to a reliable, efficient product line, quick turnaround, and attentive customer care. The company operates on a commitment to “The Emerald Standard” – a single-source solution, a consultative approach, efficiencies/cost effectiveness, and a team of industry-leading experts. 

“It was important for us to work with someone who could add to what we were doing – not just working for money, but helping us accomplish our goals and wanting to see us succeed,” said Joe Dickman, CEO of Emerald Transportation Solutions. 

“Before Georgia Oak, we decided we wanted to put ourselves out there for private equity, but it wasn’t a good experience,” Dickman continued. “Then, when we met Mike and Dean, there was an immediate sense of comfort. That meeting went really well. Looking to the future, I know Georgia Oak will be instrumental in growing Emerald to new heights.”

At the beginning of 2022, Emerald consolidated its previous 35,000 square feet of four separate facilities into a new 92,000-square-foot facility in Griffin, Georgia. Located a mere 45 minute drive from Atlanta, Emerald sits at the center of the Southeast distribution hub, reaping the benefits of a rapidly growing population and Southeastern distributors’ delivery needs. 

“The outlook for refrigerated transportation in a small-vehicle, short-haul format is incredibly bright,” stated Michael Lonergan, Managing Partner of Georgia Oak Partners. “Emerald is the best in this growth category as the leading one-stop shop for all your refrigerated transportation needs. We are thrilled to be a part of the next chapter for Emerald.”

Georgia Oak foresees a strong future for Emerald as a new group of buyers comfortable with the digital economy enter the market. With the rapidly increasing pace of online ordering, food distributors are faced with an unprecedented opportunity to expand their customer reach and increase profit margins. 

This announcement adds to Georgia Oak’s growing portfolio of manufacturing and transportation & logistics businesses, including their current partnerships with Sailfish Boats, TeamOne Logistics, and others. The firm boasts a team of expert operational and financial executives who work closely with local family- and founder-owned businesses to accelerate growth. 

About Georgia Oak Partners

Georgia Oak Partners focuses on making equity investments in founder- and family-owned companies in Georgia and the broader Southeast. Using a local, hands-on approach, Georgia Oak works side-by-side with founders to achieve sustainable growth while maintaining culture and legacy. For more information about Georgia Oak Partners, please visit  www.GeorgiaOakPartners.com .