Core International, LLC Has Completed a Majority Recapitalization with Rock Hill Capital Group

HOUSTON, January 10, 2013 – GulfStar Group (“GulfStar”) is pleased to announce the majority recapitalization of Core International, LLC (“Core” or the “Company”) by Rock Hill Capital Group (“Rock Hill”). GulfStar served as exclusive financial advisor to Core throughout the transaction, which closed on December 29, 2012.

Core is a supplier of highly engineered rubber components and supply chain solutions to a variety of end-use markets including, but not limited to, energy, heavy truck and trailer, flow control, general infrastructure, waterworks, aerospace and marine. The Company has developed a particular expertise and reputation for supplying large format, tight tolerance parts for mission critical applications in products such as blowout preventers, nuclear facilities, dams and bridges. Core will continue to be led by its existing management team

“I am excited to be working with the team at Rock Hill. They took the time to understand our business and what it would take to continue its growth into a dominant position,” said Cody Johnson, CEO of Core. “GulfStar really impressed me with the amount of effort and care they took in finding us the right financial partner.”

The GulfStar team included Managing Director Colt Luedde, Vice President Brian Lobo, Associate James Berry and Analyst Nico Gayle. “We are thankful for the opportunity to work with the Core team on such an important transaction,” said Luedde. “They have built a terrific company with a unique business model that emphasizes their strategic global sourcing capabilities. There is great alignment between the management team and the principals at Rock Hill that should allow the Company to continue its impressive growth.”

About Rock Hill
Rock Hill is a private equity fund that seeks to make equity investments in small to middle-market companies, defined as businesses with an enterprise value of less than $75 million located primarily in the Southern United States. Rock Hill intends to partner with strong entrepreneurial managers who are in need of patient capital and management expertise to assist them in the continued expansion and growth of their business. Rock Hill’s team of investment professionals is uniquely qualified to assist management at various stages of the growth cycle in achieving their strategic goals and objectives.

About GulfStar Group
GulfStar is a leading middle market investment and merchant bank headquartered in Houston. GulfStar specializes in providing merger and acquisition advisory services, institutional private placements of equity and debt, and general corporate finance advisory services to companies with revenues or enterprise values generally ranging from $25 million to $350 million. Since its formation in 1990, GulfStar has completed over 575 transactions in more than 30 states and seven foreign countries across a variety of industries. Through its merchant banking affiliate, the firm also makes equity and subordinated debt co-investments.

Securities offered through GulfStar Group I, Ltd. an affiliated entity, member FINRA – SIPC.