Little Rock, AR and Kaneohe, Hawaii – April [23], 2024 – The Stephens Group, LLC (“Stephens Group”) has completed a significant strategic investment into VisionSafe, LLC (“VisionSafe” or the “Company”) designed to accelerate the growth of the business. This investment exhibits Stephens Group’s continued interest in supporting businesses providing highly engineered, mission critical, systems and components, serving aerospace and defense applications. The Company will serve as a new Stephens Group platform.
Founded thirty-four years ago by Bertil Werjefelt, Kaneohe-based VisionSafe is an industry leader in the provision of proprietary cockpit smoke displacement systems. VisionSafe designs, develops, and manufactures cockpit smoke displacement systems and also provides the maintenance, inspection, and service for its products. VisionSafe has a robust set of supplemental type certificates which cover over 120 aircraft models.
“At VisionSafe, our mission is to develop innovative, market-leading products that protect in case of a cockpit smoke event,” said MaryAnn Omerod, Chief Operating Officer of VisionSafe. “We are excited to work with the Stephens Group and leverage their experience and commitment to the aerospace and defense market. This strategic investment will allow us to expand research and development, and customer support, and thereby accelerate the achievement of our strategic vision.”
Working with the Stephens Group team, VisionSafe will focus on bolstering the Company’s research and development, platform certification, and sales and marketing efforts all while seeking accretive add-on acquisitions.
Jack Nadal, Managing Director at The Stephens Group, added, “We’re thrilled to work with the VisionSafe team and the Werjefelt family on this growth catalyzing investment. As a safety first organization, VisionSafe has developed an exceptional reputation in the cockpit smoke displacement market. VisionSafe’s relentless focus on safety, innovation and customer support, has led them to become a leader in the space, with units installed on thousands of business, cargo, and passenger aircraft. We’re excited by the growth prospects for the business, and are eager to support VisionSafe as we execute on organic and inorganic opportunities.”
Alderman & Company served as the exclusive financial advisor to VisionSafe for the transaction.
About VisionSafe Corporation
VisionSafe Corporation is a provider of highly engineered aircraft cockpit smoke displacement systems for use on business, cargo, passenger, government, and other aircraft. The Company’s flagship product, the Emergency Vision Assurance System (EVAS), serves to protect pilots’ vision in situations where dense, blinding smoke fills the cockpit, enabling them to control and land the aircraft safely.
About The Stephens Group, LLC
The Stephens Group, LLC is a private investment firm that partners with talented management teams to help build valuable businesses. Backed by the resources of the Witt Stephens, Jr. and Elizabeth Campbell families, the firm combines the operational expertise of a private equity firm with the flexibility provided by long-term capital. With over $2 billion of private equity assets under management, the firm has a long history of providing informed, sophisticated expertise and working with owners and managers to help them successfully achieve their strategic visions and build long-term value. Since 2006, Stephens Group has invested in over 50 companies, targeting investments in industries across the U.S., including industrial and commercial products and services, specialty distribution, and vertical software.
Allie Laborde
Managing Director, Business Development
The Stephens Group, LLC
pressreleases@stephensgroup.com
501.320.0595
Dassault Aviation and VisionSafe teamed up early in the 8X process to validate EVAS for the new advanced jet.
VisionSafe Corporation and Dassault Aviation expressed a mutual commitment to providing an EVAS option on the 8X. The work has paid off, EVAS Cockpit Smoke Protection is now approved for installation on the 8X from the start of the line.
VisionSafe’s Vice President Jonathan Parker stated – “Dassault continues to demonstrate its forward-thinking view by adding the 8X to the existing Falcon Service Advisory. Dassault has consolidated its protection offerings under a single advisory.” Adding, “this is not just about the 8X, Dassault is expanding the Service Bulletin concept to include all the aircraft covered by the advisory and EVAS STC (7X, 8X, 900, 2000, and 50 series aircraft). Now any Falcon Jet operator will be able to either factory install EVAS on their new aircraft or have it streamlined with the service bulletin factory retrofit.”
EVAS cockpit smoke protection flying in more Gulfstream aircraft than any other.
VisionSafe today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved the Emergency Vision Assurance System (EVAS) for use on the Gulftstream G280. VisionSafe received the supplemental type certificate and PMA earlier this month.
VisionSafe Corporation has received Supplemental Type Certification (STC) for the Emergency Vision System (EVAS) Cockpit Smoke Displacement equipment applicable to the Boeing 777. The Boeing 777 is the latest aircraft to get FAA certified equipment and includes models 777-200, -200LR, -300, -300LR and the 777F.
GCAA report: “mandate the implementation of vision assurance devices or technology for improved pilot visibility during continuous smoke”
VisionSafe is reminded today of the tragic loss of the lives of the UPS 6 flight crew. VisionSafe appreciates the hard and complex work done by the accident investigators who contributed to the investigation of UPS 6 accident and who helped GCAA conclude this phase of the process.
All too often we find that the focus on the critical instance that ultimately sets off a chain of events leading to accidents becomes the only focus of accident reports. We respect the need for this clarity and the requirement to draw conclusions. These are scientific reports and thus they require this objective and un-assuming approach.