COLUMBUS, OHIO — Crane Group, in conjunction with Appalachian Capital Holdings, this week announced its growth with the acquisition of five businesses that will operate as part of a new parent company called Fairwood Brands — a nationwide family of companies creating and maintaining premium outdoor spaces with gold-standard customer service.
Fairwood Brands includes five companies around the country that specialize in luxury residential landscaping and estate management. Crane Group will help grow those companies while adding others into the Fairwood Brands family over time. Fairwood Brands companies, which will operate using their individual names and brands, currently include:
- Bruss Landscaping, Chicago
- Enchanted Garden Landscapes, Phoenix
- Kuppe’s Landscape Services, DetroitL.M.L. Estate Management, Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis
- Signature Landscape Contractors, Orlando
Between the Fairwood Brands companies, there are 240 employees and a combined $40 million in revenue.
All five of these companies offer a full suite of design/build, installation, maintenance and comprehensive estate management services for homeowners seeking great outdoor living: landscapes, hardscapes, water features, outdoor kitchens, lighting and irrigation. From initial concept to ongoing care, Fairwood Brands companies deliver a beautiful environment tailored to each of their customers’ lives. Fairwood Brands will look to expand beyond this initial footprint both by opening additional locations and by partnering with similar companies in other locations.
Fairwood Brands is the fourth current portfolio company for Crane Group, a Columbus-based, family- owned company that passionately invests in business, people and good. Over its 75-year history, Crane Group has launched or held 30 different companies. It’s helped power successful businesses from Able Roofing to TimberTech by providing strategic leadership, flexible capital and an in-house team of experts in areas like finance, legal, HR and IT. Its three other current portfolio companies are Crane Renovation Group, Pet Paradise and Screen Machine/Diamond Z.
“Crane Group is eyeing bold growth ahead. As we do, I am thrilled to launch Fairwood Brands and invest in companies like these five whose core values align with ours and who deliver top-quality services,” said Crane Group CEO Tanny Crane. “I’m excited to watch our incredible team help propel the success of these companies and others that will join the Fairwood Brands family.”
In recent years, Crane Group has honed its strategic direction to focus on portfolio companies that specialize in providing home or pet services. For example, Crane Group acquired Able Roofing in 1997 and evolved a $9 million roofing company into a $150+ million family of companies that now includes Able Roofing, Mr. Roof and Contractors, Inc. In 2016, Crane Group acquired pet resort company Pet Paradise and has helped it grow from 26 to 53 locations nationwide.
“Fairwood Brands is a natural fit with our strategic direction, and we believe we bring experience that can add value to these companies in reaching their goals,” said Crane Group Senior Vice President Dan Crane. “Many people want their homes to provide an outdoor oasis where they can relax and enjoy the people they love. These companies help them achieve that by serving as partners who anticipate their needs and then deliver exceptional results. They have talented, passionate and hardworking team members, and we’re eager to invest in their people and support their growth.”
Andy Swanson, founder of Signature Landscape Contractors, looks forward to Crane Group helping him grow the business he loves.
“This is an incredible opportunity to level up in every way,” Swanson said. “Because Crane Group is a family-owned business, they understand who we are and what’s most important to us. But they’re also going to help us win big on the business front. I am 100% confident they are the right partner to help grow my business, and I look forward to what’s ahead.”
Scott Morris, co-owner of L.M.L. Estate Management, said he, too, is confident in the value a Crane Group partnership provides.
“We’re working to raise the bar—for our customers and our businesses. It will be a huge help to have strategic and managerial support from the Crane Group team and to have industry peers to collaborate and share ideas with,” Morris said. “We all share core principles and have very similar values in our businesses and in our communities. We’re very excited to be part of the Fairwood Brands family and to partner with Crane Group.”
