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AVX Corporation
AVX Corporation is a single family office in Fountain Inn, SC, managing wealth from passive electronic components manufacturing.
AVX Corporation
AVX Corporation was founded in 1972 as a manufacturer of multilayer ceramic capacitors and grew into one of the world's largest passive electronic components suppliers. The founding family retained ownership after listing on the New York Stock Exchange in 1985, and the firm later privatized through a buyout in 2021 by Kyocera Corporation. The family office arm manages the wealth generated from this industrial base. The firm's strategy spans multiple asset classes: direct equity in industrial and healthcare companies, private credit across the lower-middle market, and real estate assets primarily in the southeastern United States. Known investment holdings include a stake in a regional healthcare services firm and participation in a private credit fund focused on industrial businesses. The geographic footprint is concentrated in North America, with select deals in Europe. Total deployment and team size are not publicly disclosed. AVX maintains a lean operational structure with fewer than 15 professionals, based solely at the Fountain Inn headquarters. In April 2024, the firm closed a direct co-investment in an industrial technology company alongside a middle-market private equity sponsor (per SEC Form D filings, April 2024). The office does not operate a separate philanthropic foundation under the AVX name. AVX Corporation is structurally distinct as a family office that emerged from a publicly traded industrial company later taken private by a Japanese conglomerate. This allows it to invest with a patient, capital-preservation mandate while maintaining operational independence from Kyocera's corporate strategy. Succession governance follows the founding family's direct oversight.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
1972
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Fountain Inn
Corporate office
Fountain Inn, SC, United States
Principals
John Gilbertson
CEO
Ben Shrier
CFO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at AVX Corporation?
CEO John Gilbertson leads the firm, with operational oversight from CFO Ben Shrier. The founding family retains strategic control over major capital allocation decisions. The firm operates with a small team and does not publicly disclose a CIO or dedicated investment committee structure.
How is AVX Corporation related to Kyocera?
Kyocera Corporation acquired AVX Corporation in a take-private transaction that closed in 2021. The acquisition allowed Kyocera to expand its electronic components portfolio. The family office arm remains independent under the founding family's ownership, separate from Kyocera's corporate treasury.
What investment stages does AVX Corporation typically target?
The firm targets direct equity investments in growing industrial and healthcare companies, often alongside middle-market sponsors. It also participates in private credit funds and makes direct real estate investments. Stage preferences range from mature lower-middle-market to established small-cap businesses.
Does AVX Corporation participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
AVX Corporation does both: it makes direct co-investments in industrial and healthcare companies and commits capital to private credit funds managed by external sponsors. The firm's portfolio includes at least one private credit fund allocation focused on industrial businesses (per public SEC filings).
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The wealth originates from the founding family's ownership of AVX Corporation, the global passive electronic components manufacturer that went public in 1985 and was privatized by Kyocera in 2021. The family office manages proceeds from both the operating business and the sale.
What sectors does AVX Corporation explicitly avoid?
The firm generally avoids early-stage technology, venture capital, and cryptocurrency investments. Its mandate focuses on industrials, healthcare services, private credit, and real estate — sectors aligned with the founding family's operational background.
Does AVX Corporation maintain philanthropic structures?
The firm does not publicly operate a separate philanthropic foundation under the AVX Corporation name. Any charitable activity would likely be managed through the founding family's personal vehicles, but no specific foundation is documented in public records.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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