- In 2018, Metalmark Capital took a stake in T. Parker Host, a U.S. maritime services and logistics operator across the East and Gulf Coasts.
- Host scaled from about 150 to 500+ employees while CEO Adam Anderson remained majority owner alongside family shareholders Andrew Caplan and Kelsey Host.
- The deal supported expansion via Host’s Avondale Shipyard acquisition in New Orleans, adding a 254-acre terminal and logistics footprint with planned rail connectivity.
- No public reporting since the 2018 announcement indicates follow-on transactions, exits, or major updates on the Metalmark-Host investment.
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The primary article, published December 10, 2018, reports that Metalmark Capital has taken an investment stake in T. Parker Host, a significant maritime provider covering agency services, terminal operations, Jones Act vessel operations, and logistics across the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts. Key points include: the company’s growth from 150 to over 500 employees; leadership under CEO Adam Anderson; retention of family shareholders including Andrew Caplan and Kelsey Host; and acquisition of the Avondale Shipyard (254 acres) to expand terminal & logistics footprint.
Searches through recent databases, news outlets, and private equity transaction trackers yield no matching articles indicating follow-on deals, exits, IPOs, or comparable events involving Metalmark-Host relationship since that 2018 investment. Given the absence of public filings or media reports, the investment appears to have remained private and not triggered a league of observable exit or liquidity event.
This suggests that the investment was likely structured with a longer time-horizon and potentially significant non-public operational improvements. From an investment banking POV, this is consistent with industrial/private equity plays focused on asset & infrastructure roll-ups, especially in sectors like maritime/logistics, where competitive moats derive from real assets (ports, shipyards) and regulatory barriers (Jones Act compliance).
Strategic implications include: Host’s acquisition of Avondale gives access to a large waterfront, docks, warehousing & rail connectivity, which potentially positions the company to compete in bulk and breakbulk global logistics. The nonunion status in South Florida and U.S. East/Gulf coast infrastructure could offer cost advantages. Conversely, risks include environmental/regulatory risks tied to waterfront/shipping operations, capital intensity of shipyard & terminal assets, and competition from larger terminal operators.
Open questions remain: Did Metalmark exit or increase its stake post-investment? How has Host’s revenue, EBITDA grown since acquiring Avondale? Did the expected rail connectivity and terminal expansions materialize? How have global supply chain disruptions (e.g. post-COVID) impacted Host’s operations and valuation? Are similar deals in maritime terminal/logistics currently achieving required returns?
Supporting Notes
- Metalmark Capital invested in T. Parker Host in 2018; Host is a U.S. maritime services provider spanning agency services, terminal operations, Jones Act vessel operations, and logistics.
- Host expanded from ~150 employees to over 500; operates over 30 locations along U.S. East and Gulf Coasts.
- Adam Anderson remains majority owner; Andrew Caplan and Kelsey Host (family fourth generation) remain partners/shareholders.
- Host acquired Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans: 254 acres, 5 docks, one mile waterfront; planned connectivity to six class-one railroads.
- Metalmark Capital manages ~$3.7 billion in committed capital and targets infrastructure, industrials among sectors of interest.
Sources
Below are the sources reviewed and cited:
- “Metalmark Invests in T. Parker Host”, Private Equity Professional, December 10, 2018 — the primary article.