TCF Capital Funding, a division of TCF National Bank, announced that it provided $25.6 million in secured financing to support the acquisition of Starlite Sign, Inc. by Kieffer Holding Co. and its subsidiary Kieffer & Co., Inc. (“Kieffer”), a portfolio company of Northstar Capital (“Northstar”). Northstar contributed additional subordinated debt and equity to complete the transaction.

Founded in 1959, Kieffer is a full-service, national sign company that provides design, manufacturing, installation and service for multi-location operators in the hospitality, drugstore, specialty retail, restaurant, healthcare, and related sectors.  With manufacturing in Sheboygan, WI and sales and service in Lincolnshire, IL, Kieffer provides a host of value-added services designed to provide a single source solution to a client’s exterior signage needs.

Based in Denton, TX, Starlite Sign, Inc. (“Starlite”) designs, manufactures, installs, and services exterior signs and other visual elements for restaurants, specialty retailers, car rental agencies, and other corporate entities.  Products include channel letters, cabinet signs, monument signs, pylon signs, awnings, banners and electronic message boards.

“We have enjoyed a long relationship with Northstar, and supporting the acquisition of Starlite by Kieffer further enhances this relationship. Kieffer and Starlite are both successful, growing national sign companies with a commitment to product quality and customer service, and the business combination strengthens both companies, enhances production and installation capabilities, and transforms Kieffer-Starlite into one of the top sign companies in the U.S.” said TCF Capital Funding Senior Vice President Ed Ryczek.

TCF Capital Funding provides cash flow and asset-based lending to lower middle market businesses.  National in scope, this senior leveraged lending group focuses on providing private equity sponsor-backed cash flow loans and asset-based loans to companies with less than $100 million in revenue and between $2 million and $10 million in EBITDA.

Northstar Capital primarily invests subordinated debt and equity in a broad range of businesses located in the United States and Canada.  Since its founding in 1993, Northstar Capital has managed six separate partnerships with more than $1.4 billion in commitments, investing in over 120 transactions. Although a generalist investor, Northstar has a special interest in service businesses, food, niche manufacturing, and specialty distribution businesses.