Merger Acquisition

Vortex Companies Acquires UK's Torrent Drainage Services

Houston – – October 01, 2026 -- Vortex Companies has acquired the business and operating assets of Torrent Drainage Services Limited, a UK-based trenchless rehabilitation contractor, expanding the field capabilities of its UK subsidiary McAllister Group ahead of the sector's AMP8 infrastructure investment cycle.

Torrent's field team joins McAllister to boost self-perform capacity

Torrent provides cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining, patch installations and repairs, sewer cleaning and CCTV inspection, and robotic lateral reinstatement. The team has previously worked alongside McAllister on UK rehabilitation projects, giving Vortex an established operational base to expand from.

Volo Sports Acquires Fray and CLUBWAKA Miami, Enters Phoenix, Jacksonville

Washington, D.C. – September 30, 2026 -- Volo Sports has acquired recreational sports operators Fray and CLUBWAKA Miami, adding Phoenix and Jacksonville as new markets and deepening its footprint in Washington, D.C. and Miami's Coconut Grove neighborhood.

Fray brings nearly 40,000 annual player registrations across three cities

Founded in 2009 as United Social Sports, Fray operates leagues in Washington, D.C. (over 20,000 player registrations annually), Phoenix (over 9,000) and Jacksonville (over 9,000). The deal marks Volo's first entry into Phoenix and Jacksonville and expands its existing D.C. presence into Virginia across the DMV region. Jacksonville leagues run in Murray Hill, Southside, The Beaches, Arlington, Downtown, San Marco, Springfield and Town Center; Phoenix operations span Arcadia, Avondale, Downtown Phoenix, Mesa, North Scottsdale, Scottsdale and Tempe.

5E Advanced Materials to Acquire Searles Valley Minerals Assets in Court Sale

Overland Park, Kansas – September 19, 2026 -- Searles Valley Minerals Inc. has agreed to sell substantially all of its operating assets to 5E Advanced Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq: FEAM) in a court-supervised Section 363 transaction combining cash, equity and debt, following a competitive bidding process involving multiple parties.

5E secures Westend and Argus plants alongside 9,000 acres of brine resources

The deal transfers Searles Valley Minerals' Westend and Argus production facilities, approximately 9,000 acres of Searles Lake brine resources, the Trona Railway short-line railroad, and potable water production and distribution infrastructure located in San Bernardino, Kern and Inyo Counties, California. The assets carry permits, licenses and operating rights tied to more than 150 years of continuous mining activity at the site.

Team First Home Services Adds Holloway Plumbing in Texas Hill Country

Atlanta – September 18, 2026 -- Team First Home Services, a residential plumbing platform backed by Grove Mountain Partners, has partnered with Holloway Plumbing, a residential plumbing provider serving Kerrville and the Texas Hill Country.

Deal marks Team First's second Texas partnership after Halls Rooter & Plumbing

The Holloway partnership follows Team First's earlier investment in Halls Rooter & Plumbing in Midland, deepening the platform's footprint across Texas. Holloway will keep operating under its existing local brand while gaining access to Team First's capital and operational resources to expand capabilities and accelerate growth in the region.

Sterling-Backed OGD Closes Three Add-On Deals, Now Spans 20+ States

September 16, 2026 – Fort Worth, Texas – -- Overhead Garage Door (OGD), a portfolio company of The Sterling Group Foundation Fund, has completed three founder-owned acquisitions in 2026, expanding its residential and commercial garage door platform to nearly 70 metropolitan markets across more than 20 states.

OGD adds Madisonville, Hall's and Compaan garage door businesses within a three-month span

The company closed deals for Madisonville Garage Doors and Hall's Garage Doors in June 2026, followed by Compaan Garage Doors in August 2026. All three were founder-owned businesses sourced through OGD's and Sterling's proprietary deal relationships, and each brought a tenured technician workforce along with established local customer bases.