Who Owns Schumacher Electric Now? Ripple Industries Takes Over from Lincolnshire Management

Strategic Shift: New Ownership Marks Major Turning Point for Power Supply Powerhouse

The leadership of Schumacher Electric Corporation has transitioned to a new private investment firm, Ripple Industries LLC, in a deal completed by outgoing owner Lincolnshire Management, Inc. The Dallas-based manufacturer—a dominant force in power supply products, particularly battery charging solutions and EV chargers—enters its next growth phase under fresh ownership.

Since 1947, Schumacher Electric has built its reputation as a global leader in battery maintenance and charging technology. The company’s product ecosystem spans consumer and professional segments, from jump starters to automotive chargers, serving sectors including automotive, power sports, agriculture, and marine industries. With distribution through over 60,000 retail locations worldwide—encompassing major box retailers, specialty shops, and e-commerce platforms—Schumacher maintains substantial market penetration.

From Lincolnshire Stewardship to Ripple Industries Leadership

Lincolnshire Management acquired Schumacher Electric in October 2020, implementing a comprehensive strategy centered on modernization and market expansion. The private equity firm’s playbook emphasized product innovation, new distribution channels, and organizational restructuring. Under this ownership, Mickey Leech joined as President before stepping into the CEO role, a transition that Lincolnshire credited with accelerating the company’s e-commerce transformation and European market entry.

“The investment strategy focused on identifying growth vectors,” explained Tom Callahan, Managing Director at Lincolnshire Management. The firm orchestrated extensions into the aftermarket EV charger segment while simultaneously cultivating relationships with new channel partners and original equipment manufacturers to broaden market reach.

Now, Ripple Industries has assumed control of Schumacher Electric. Financial details of the transaction remain confidential. William Bishop, representing Ripple Industries, indicated the new ownership intends to accelerate growth across both established product lines and emerging electric vehicle technologies, viewing the global transition to EV infrastructure as a substantial opportunity for battery maintenance and charging solutions.

Strategic Positioning in the EV Era

Lincolnshire’s tenure highlighted the strategic imperative of e-commerce channel development and international expansion. Phil Kim, Managing Director at Lincolnshire Management, characterized the Schumacher investment as validation of the firm’s proven approach: identifying founder and family-owned enterprises and scaling them for significant financial returns.

The company’s portfolio of white-label brands and proprietary lines, combined with its extensive distribution infrastructure, positioned Schumacher as an attractive acquisition target. The e-commerce initiative launched during Lincolnshire’s ownership reflected broader market trends toward direct-to-consumer sales channels and digital retail transformation.

Track Record of Lincolnshire Management in Automotive and Transportation

This exit adds to Lincolnshire Management’s documented success in the transportation and automotive sectors. The firm’s previous notable exits include the public offering of Holley Inc. (NYSE: HLLY), now the largest integrated platform for automotive enthusiasts; AMPORTS, Inc., a premier North American automotive port terminal operator; and Wabash National Corporation (NYSE: WNC), a leading transportation equipment manufacturer renowned for refrigerated and dry freight trailers.

Managing firm leadership underscored their commitment to operational excellence during the Schumacher ownership period. TJ Maloney, CEO of Lincolnshire Management, noted that “the management team relentlessly drove business performance, prioritizing e-commerce momentum and consumer product innovation in European markets.”

Forward Momentum Under New Ownership

The transition reflects confidence in Schumacher’s business fundamentals and growth trajectory. Ripple Industries’ acquisition signals belief in the company’s capacity to capitalize on structural tailwinds in battery technology and EV charging infrastructure as global transportation electrification accelerates.

Legal and financial advisory support for the transaction came from Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Piper Sandler on behalf of Lincolnshire Management and Schumacher Electric, with Latham & Watkins LLP representing Ripple Industries.

For nearly eight decades, Schumacher Electric has maintained operational focus on quality engineering and customer service as competitive differentiators. The company’s patent-pending technologies and brand recognition position it to navigate the evolving power supply and battery maintenance landscape. Under Ripple Industries’ stewardship, stakeholders anticipate aggressive pursuit of growth opportunities emerging from the global transition to electric transportation and advanced battery systems.

Lincolnshire Management, established in 1986, manages over $1.7 billion in private equity capital with a focus on middle-market acquisitions, corporate recapitalizations, and growth equity investments across multiple industries.