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SurfacePrep
SurfacePrep was formed in 2019 when CID Capital partnered with industry operator Carson Biederman to consolidate businesses in the industrial surface...
SurfacePrep
SurfacePrep was formed in 2019 when CID Capital partnered with industry operator Carson Biederman to consolidate businesses in the industrial surface preparation and finishing market. The platform's first acquisition was Biederman's own Equipment & Systems business, establishing a toehold in Michigan that the firm has expanded through subsequent add-on acquisitions across the United States. SurfacePrep acquires and operates companies that distribute abrasives, specialty chemicals, and surface-treatment equipment, alongside shops that provide outsourced finishing services like blasting, peening, and mass finishing. The firm targets mission-critical processes in advanced manufacturing, handling components that require precise surface conditioning for aerospace turbines, medical implants, and automotive powertrains. Confirmed acquisitions include Finishing Technology, a Midwestern supplier of mass-finishing media and compounds (per the firm, 2021), and Arrow Cryogenics, a Minnesota-based processor specializing in thermal deburring and cryogenic deflashing used on complex plastic and metal parts (per the firm, 2022). The platform serves customers across the Midwest, Southeast, and Texas, with a supply chain that reaches North American Tier 1 manufacturers. CID Capital recapitalized SurfacePrep in 2021, bringing in Graycliff Partners as a co-investor to support the next phase of the acquisition strategy (per PE Hub, November 2021). The management team, led by CEO Carson Biederman, has since integrated several regional distributors and processors under a unified operating model while retaining local brands. In late 2022, the firm expanded its Midwest footprint by acquiring Rodeco, a finishing-equipment distributor with deep reach into the Indiana and Ohio manufacturing corridors. SurfacePrep's structure as a private-equity-backed consolidator, rather than a traditional family office or single-owner industrial holding company, gives it a distinct posture: permanent-capital ambitions with a roll-up playbook typically associated with financial sponsors, but led by an operator who has spent his career in the abrasives industry. The platform's competitive moat rests on its dual identity — both a distributor to and a processor for the same manufacturing base, capturing value on both sides of the finishing transaction.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
2019
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Byron Center
Corporate office
Byron Center, MI, United States
Principals
Carson Biederman
Chief Executive Officer
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions and operations at SurfacePrep?
Carson Biederman serves as Chief Executive Officer and leads the platform's acquisition strategy. Biederman was an operator in the abrasives and surface-finishing industry prior to forming SurfacePrep in partnership with CID Capital. The board includes representatives from CID Capital and minority co-investor Graycliff Partners, who provide strategic guidance on add-on acquisitions.
What is SurfacePrep's acquisition strategy?
SurfacePrep pursues a buy-and-build strategy focused on industrial surface-treatment businesses. It acquires regional distributors of abrasives, specialty chemicals, and finishing equipment, as well as job shops that provide outsourced finishing services including blasting, peening, cryogenic deflashing, and mass finishing. The firm targets add-on acquisitions that extend its geographic reach or add technical processing capabilities serving aerospace, medical-device, and automotive supply chains.
How is SurfacePrep capitalized and who are its financial backers?
SurfacePrep was initially backed by CID Capital, an Indianapolis-based private equity firm focused on lower-middle-market companies. In November 2021, the platform was recapitalized, with Graycliff Partners joining as a co-investor alongside CID Capital (per PE Hub, 2021). This capital structure supports the firm's ongoing acquisition program without operating on a traditional fund-lifecycle timeline.
Does SurfacePrep operate as a holding company or a single integrated business?
SurfacePrep operates as a holding company that retains the local brands and operational identities of its acquired businesses. Each portfolio company continues to serve its regional customer base under its legacy name, while the parent platform provides centralized capital, back-office functions, and cross-selling coordination across the network. This hub-and-spoke model is common among private-equity-backed industrial consolidators.
Which end markets does SurfacePrep serve?
SurfacePrep's customers span aerospace and defense, medical-device manufacturing, and automotive and heavy-truck production. The surface-treatment processes handled by its companies — including shot peening for turbine blades, passivation for surgical implants, and mass finishing for automotive gears — are critical-path steps in these precision-manufacturing supply chains.
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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