HUDSON, Mass.– May 6, 2026 – The Entwistle Company (“Entwistle”), an NTC Group (“NTC”) portfolio company, announced that it has acquired the Hales Group (“Hales” or the “Company”), from founders Ray and Trudy Hales.
Headquartered in Clayton, North Carolina, Hales is a provider of coating, storage, transportation, and structural steel services supporting Newport News Shipbuilding (“NNS”) and U.S. Navy programs, including submarines and aircraft carriers. Founded in 1981, Hales also provides structural steel fabrication, protective coatings, and specialized logistics services for Department of Transportation infrastructure projects across the eastern United States.
Hales includes Structural Coatings Hertford, LLC; Structural Steel Products Corporation; Structural Coatings, Inc.; and The Hales Company. The business operates from facilities in Clayton, NC and Cofield in Hertford County, North Carolina, comprising more than 150,000 square feet of fabrication space, a 55,000-square-foot coatings facility, and a 50,000-square-foot enclosed facility situated on a 68-acre site with secure indoor and outdoor storage capabilities.
The acquisition of Hales is the latest example of NTC’s alternative approach to private equity resonating with founder and family-owned businesses and NTC’s ability to tailor a transaction to meet the unique needs of a founder looking to transition ownership of their company.
“We offer continuity and stability for employees, customers, and sellers who care about what happens to their company post-sale,” said Taran Bakker, Chairman of The Entwistle Company and Partner at NTC. “We are pleased to partner with an organization of Hales’ caliber and to build upon the foundation established by Ray and Trudy over the past 45 years. We look forward to supporting the company’s continued growth and its role in serving U.S. military and government customers.”
“We are proud of the business we have built and confident that Entwistle/NTC is the right partner for Hales’ next phase,” said Ray and Trudy Hales. “Entwistle’s commitment to quality, customer service, and the defense industry aligns closely with our own, and we believe the company is well positioned for continued success.”
About The Entwistle Company
Founded in 1918 and headquartered in Hudson, Massachusetts, The Entwistle Company is a designer and manufacturer of components and machinery systems for the U.S. military and its allies. The company supports more than 25 programs across the U.S. Navy, Air Force, and Army, providing components and systems in areas including aircraft launch and recovery, fueling systems, ordnance, ground support equipment, shipboard machinery, and military spares. Entwistle operates facilities in Hudson, Massachusetts and Danville, Virginia, with more than 300,000 square feet of production capacity.
About NTC Group
NTC Group offers family- and founder-owned companies a tailored approach to ownership transitions, prioritizing long-term growth and the preservation of their culture while delivering a unique approach that sets the firm apart from traditional private equity and strategic acquirers. With a focus on aerospace, defense, and specialty manufacturing, NTC combines flexible capital with a strategic partnership framework designed to maximize long term growth while preserving the founder’s vision.
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