NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
KKR, a leading global investment firm, and Preferred Sands, one of North
America’s largest producers of sand and resin coated proppants, today
announced the signing of definitive agreements under which KKR, in
conjunction with Jefferies LLC, has committed to provide a comprehensive
financing solution to refinance the company’s entire capital structure.
The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is
expected to close on July 31, 2014.
“This is a long-term plan that enables us to further grow our
industry-leading platform of products and services,” said Michael
O’Neill, CEO of Preferred Sands. “We deeply appreciate that KKR worked
with us in an expedited time frame to create a tailored solution to meet
our immediate needs, with the flexibility to focus on our future growth
plans and other opportunities.”
Headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania, Preferred Sands is a leading
supplier of frac sand in Canada and one of the largest suppliers in
North America. The Company’s sand is used to stimulate and maintain the
flow of hydrocarbons in vertically and horizontally drilled oil and
natural gas wells. Preferred Sands is also leading industry change
through its offering of environmentally friendly resin-coated sand
through its Garnet™ and Pearl™ products.
Harlan Cherniak, a member of KKR’s Special Situations team, said: “We
believe Preferred Sands has an enviable position in the marketplace, and
this is an investment in the team, the technology, and the future of a
growing platform. We are pleased to partner with management and provide
them with a long-term, flexible capital structure which will allow them
to meet the needs of their customers.”
Over the last seven years, Preferred Sands has built a network of sand
mines, processing locations and innovative products to support oil and
gas development. Today, its network of mines in Arizona, Minnesota,
Nebraska, and Wisconsin has the capacity to produce more than 9 billion
pounds of sand annually and currently distributes sand to all of the
major basins in the United States and Canada. Earlier this month,
Preferred Sands announced plans to open an additional Northern White
sand plant that will expand its frac sand production capacity by more
than four billion pounds annually.
Jamison Ely, also a member of KKR’s Special Situations team, added: “The
energy industry in North America has undergone immense change and we
believe Preferred Sands is poised to benefit from the current positively
trending fundamentals. KKR has been a significant participant in this
industry transformation having made a number of investments throughout
the energy value chain. We have followed Preferred Sands for a long time
and we think it is well positioned to capitalize on growing demand for
frac sand.”
Under the agreement, KKR is providing a comprehensive capital solution
including debt and equity of more than $680 million. KKR is making a
significant investment primarily from the Firm’s global Special
Situations fund, and KKR Capital Markets and an affiliate of Jefferies
LLC jointly underwrote a new first lien credit facility.
About Preferred Sands
Preferred Sands, headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania, is one of North
America’s largest frac sand and resin technology companies servicing the
oil and gas industry. Preferred Sands is dedicated to delivering
innovative and sustainable solutions through an entrepreneurial culture
with superior customer service. In June 2013, Preferred Sands opened its
Houston location, where the company continues to develop and grow
innovative technology solutions, including its environmentally-sensitive
line of resin-coated frac sand for both high and low temperature wells.
With the company’s continued dedication to sustainable product
development, Preferred Sands is not only committed to the protection of
the environment but also the health and safety of the communities it
serves
About KKR
With nearly $100 billion in assets under management, KKR is a leading
global investment firm that manages investments across multiple asset
classes including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate,
credit and hedge funds. KKR aims to generate attractive investment
returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach,
employing world-class people, and driving growth and value creation at
the asset level. KKR invests its own capital alongside its partners’
capital and brings opportunities to others through its capital markets
business. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of
its sponsored funds. For additional information about KKR & Co. L.P.
(NYSE:KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140725005534/en/
Media:
KKR
Kristi Huller,
212-230-9722
Director of Communications, Americas
Kristi.Huller@kkr.com
or
Preferred
Sands
Meg Kane, 484-385-2938
mkane@briancom.com
Source: KKR