Key Takeaways
- Courizon Partners LLC has acquired Air Burners, a global leader in air curtain burner systems for on-site disposal of wood and vegetative waste.
- Air Burners’ solutions serve land clearing, forestry management, wildfire mitigation, agriculture, and municipal waste markets across the U.S. and 30+ international markets.
- Darin Clause has been appointed CEO, while Founder Brian O’Connor transitions to Chief Technology Officer.
- Courizon aims to scale the business significantly, citing growing demand for cleaner, safer waste-processing technologies.
- Legal advisors included Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, with financial advisory support from D.A. Davidson & Co.
Courizon Partners Acquires Air Burners to Strengthen Clean Waste-Processing Capabilities
Courizon Partners LLC has announced the acquisition of Air Burners, Inc., a manufacturer recognized globally for its air curtain burner systems used in environmentally responsible, on-site disposal of wood and vegetative waste. Air Burners’ technology is widely deployed across land clearing, forestry and wildfire mitigation, agricultural operations, and municipal waste programs throughout the United States and more than 30 international markets.
The acquisition positions Courizon to support growing demand for cleaner and more efficient waste-processing solutions, particularly as public and private land managers seek alternatives to open burning, hauling, and landfill disposal.
Leadership Transition to Support Next Phase of Growth
With the acquisition, Darin Clause has been named Chief Executive Officer of Air Burners. Clause brings extensive experience in manufacturing and industrial distribution, most recently as President of Cadrex Manufacturing Solutions, and previously holding senior roles at Airtech Advanced Materials Group, Diploma plc, and AFGlobal Corporation.
Founder Brian O’Connor, who led Air Burners for 27 years, will transition to Chief Technology Officer, focusing on advancing the company’s engineering and product development efforts.
Evan LePatner, Founder and Managing Partner of Courizon, highlighted the importance of the platform: “Air Burners is uniquely positioned to solve an urgent and growing need as operators seek cleaner, safer, and more cost-effective ways to process wood and vegetative waste. Brian has built an extraordinary company over these past 27 years, and we are excited to partner with him and Darin to strengthen and dramatically scale the business.”
O’Connor expressed confidence in the partnership: “I chose to partner with Courizon given their proven experience investing in and scaling industrial businesses. Our team is excited to work with them and their outstanding industry executives to take Air Burners to new heights.”
Clause underscored the opportunity ahead: “It is an honor to lead Air Burners at this pivotal moment when there is accelerating demand for its products across multiple end-markets. I look forward to collaborating with Courizon to significantly expand the platform that Brian built and further enhance the service we provide to our customers.”
Advisors on the Transaction Between Courizon & Air Burners
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as legal counsel to Courizon, while D.A. Davidson & Co. acted as financial advisor.
