Go to deals
TMT

Firecrown Media acquires railroad and space enthusiast brands of Kalmbach Media

Kalmbach Media, a leading independent media company that provides ideas and inspiration to avid hobbyists, enthusiasts and citizen scientists through its multichannel brands, has sold its railroad and space enthusiast brands, including Trains, Model Railroader, Classic Toy Trains, Classic Trains, Garden Railways, Trains.com, Astronomy, FineScale Modeler and Kalmbach Books, to Firecrown Media, one of the leading transportation media providers serving the aviation, boating and logistics sectors.

Kalmbach Media is a leading independent media company that provides ideas and inspiration to avid hobbyists, enthusiasts, and citizen scientists through its multichannel brands including Astronomy, Discover, FineScale Modeler, Model Railroader, Trains and Classic Trains, among others. Kalmbach’s digital media websites and extensions across the portfolio of brands reach more than 35 million consumers on multiple sites. Kalmbach is based in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Firecrown is the largest media platform in aviation, rail, marine and supply chain and owns over 50 brands serving this space. Firecrown operates a content to commerce business model. The company invests significant resources in content creation to grow and drive engaged audiences, while developing adjacent commerce platforms to offer products to those audiences. Firecrown is based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips, one of Oaklins’ TMT teams in New York, served as the exclusive financial advisor to Kalmbach Media on the transaction. This transaction further highlights ODP’s deep sector expertise in advising consumer and digital media businesses.

Parties
“We are excited to have found a new home for these storied and well-respected brands. While these are always difficult decisions, it is great to know that their stewardship moving forward will be under the guidance of a company and leader dedicated and passionate about their continued growth and expansion.”

Dan Hickey

CEO, Kalmbach Media

Talk to the deal team

Jay Kirsch

Partner
New York, United States
Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips

Paul Slavin

Managing Director
New York, United States
Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips

Related deals

HD Clinical Ltd. has been acquired by NEXUS AG
Healthcare | TMT

HD Clinical Ltd. has been acquired by NEXUS AG

NEXUS AG has acquired HD Clinical Ltd. Through this acquisition, NEXUS has gained a recognized and internationally active team of experts in structured diagnostic reporting and image processing. This will provide new regional access, strengthening its strong European market position in software, particularly for internal medicine.

Learn more
Atech Support Limited has been acquired by iomart Group plc
TMT

Atech Support Limited has been acquired by iomart Group plc

Pelican Capital’s Atech Support Limited has been acquired by iomart Group plc. This acquisition will enable iomart to provide customers with a broader range of top-tier cloud technology and security services and solutions.

Learn more
IQGeo Group plc has been acquired by KKR to enhance geospatial software solutions
Private Equity | TMT

IQGeo Group plc has been acquired by KKR to enhance geospatial software solutions

The global investment firm KKR has acquired IQGeo Group plc, a geospatial software developer headquartered in the UK, for US$429.8 million (£333 million).

Learn more