1960
Donald Graham founded design engineering firm Graham Engineering in a farmhouse basement outside of Dover, Pennsylvania in rural York County.
Graham’s Entrepreneurial History
The origins of Graham date back to 1960, when Don Graham founded a design engineering firm in a farmhouse basement in rural Central Pennsylvania from which he ultimately spawned several successful advanced manufacturing and industrial technology businesses with over 90 locations around the world generating several billion dollars in revenue annually. That entrepreneurial tradition has continued as Graham has expanded into the investment management business with multiple independent Graham businesses now managing third party institutional capital alongside of internal funds, deploying a variety of private capital strategies.
1964
Graham Engineering formed Graham Architectural Products and began to manufacture energy-conserving replacement windows for universities, schools, hospitals, and hotels.
1970
Graham Engineering formed Graham Container (later named Graham Packaging) and introduced the high-speed Graham Wheel, bringing cost-ground-breaking savings and technological advancements to the manufacturing of plastic bottles.
1987
The Graham Foundation Trust was founded. The charitable foundation supports philanthropic initiatives in education, culture, history, the arts, architecture, sustainability, and athletics.
1988
Graham Partners was founded by Steve Graham, initially serving as an independent M&A and Corporate Finance advisor the Graham operating businesses, and later diversifying into private capital investing.
1990
Graham Packaging forms Graham Recycling, the world’s first bottle-to-bottle recycling facility, converting billions of pounds of used bottles to resin pellets for use in new bottles.
1998
A Blackstone Group-controlled entity acquired a majority stake in Graham Packaging
1998
Striker Partners was founded by Richard Graham to invest in growing, sports and service-oriented businesses in niche markets.
1999
Graham Partners begins managing institutional capital in a traditional private equity fund format, investing in advanced manufacturing and industrial technology businesses.
2003
Inverness Graham was founded by Ken Graham to acquire innovative tech-enabled manufacturing, service, and software companies.
2005
Graham Software Development was founded by Erik Graham to provide private capital for technology businesses.
2005
The Graham Sustainability Institute founded at the University of Michigan to provide a bridge between the academic world and the business world in the field of sustainability.
2010
YSC Academy was founded to provide elite-level student-athletes in soccer with the opportunity to maximize their academic and athletic potential through innovative best practices in the classroom and on the field.
2013
The Silverback Educational Foundation for the Arts, Dance & Athletics was founded to support educational, artistic, and athletic opportunities and activities for underprivileged youth, as well as for individuals seeking to perform or compete at advanced levels in the arts, dance, or athletics.
2020
Striker Partners and the merchant banking arm of Allen Mooney & Barnes founded Frontline Healthcare Partners (FHP), to invest in lower middle market, distributed healthcare businesses.
2021
Graham Capital Investments (GCI) was created to make direct equity co-investments with independent sponsors and small general partners in existing portfolio companies and continuation vehicles, partnering with other firms which have close ties with family investment offices.
2021
The Charity of the Arts, Sports & Education (CHASE) was established to uplift under-resourced communities.
2024
Graham Sports Partners (GSP) is founded to manage a portfolio of direct investments across six soccer verticals, with additional Graham family capital available for new investments.
Graham Engineering
Divested 2021
Graham Engineering was the technological engine that drove the growth of Don Graham’s businesses, creating the heritage of The Graham Group as it exists today.
Graham Engineering has spawned numerous businesses in industrial technology and advanced manufacturing, but its primary activity today is the manufacturing of high-speed plastics and composites processing machinery and related technology, sold globally under the Graham Engineering brand. The company has been internationally recognized for innovating one of the world’s fastest and most cost-efficient technology lines for extrusion blow molding of plastic containers, known as the ‘Graham Wheel,’ which converted multiple industries to the plastic container from glass, metal and composites.
Graham Architectural
Divested 2021
Graham Architectural is a leading North American manufacturer of architectural windows designed for energy conservation with a historic preservation focus for commercial buildings, schools, colleges and universities, hotels, hospitals, and high-rise condominiums sold through a network of dealer/installers. Graham’s windows are custom engineered with state-of-the-art performance features including thermal performance, acoustics, blast mitigation, and hurricane-resistance. In 2021 Oldcastle, a unit of CRH plc, acquired Graham Architectural through an asset purchase.
Graham Packaging
Divested 2011
Graham Packaging is the world’s leading custom rigid plastic container manufacturer, and the world’s first bottle-to-bottle recycler of plastic containers, serving a wide range of global consumer packaged goods companies in the automotive, household chemical, and food & beverage markets. In 1998, The Blackstone Group acquired a majority stake in Graham Packaging in connection with a leveraged recapitalization of the company. This transaction was intended to augment Graham Packaging’s ability to fund global capital expansion initiatives, while providing the Graham family with increased liquidity to invest in other business ventures. The Graham family retained a minority ownership position in Graham Packaging for many years after this transaction was completed, until the company was sold to Reynolds Group in 2011.
Graham Group Milestones
-
1960
Donald Graham founded design engineering firm Graham Engineering in a farmhouse basement outside of Dover, Pennsylvania in rural York County.
-
1964
Graham Engineering formed Graham Architectural Products and began to manufacture energy-conserving replacement windows for universities, schools, hospitals, and hotels.
-
1970
Graham Engineering formed Graham Container (later named Graham Packaging) and introduced the high-speed Graham Wheel, bringing cost-ground-breaking savings and technological advancements to the manufacturing of plastic bottles.
-
1987
The Graham Foundation Trust was founded. The charitable foundation supports philanthropic initiatives in education, culture, history, the arts, architecture, sustainability, and athletics.
-
1988
Graham Partners was founded by Steve Graham, initially serving as an independent M&A and Corporate Finance advisor the Graham operating businesses, and later diversifying into private capital investing.
-
1990
Graham Packaging forms Graham Recycling, the world’s first bottle-to-bottle recycling facility, converting billions of pounds of used bottles to resin pellets for use in new bottles.
-
1998
A Blackstone Group-controlled entity acquired a majority stake in Graham Packaging
-
1998
Striker Partners was founded by Richard Graham to invest in growing, sports and service-oriented businesses in niche markets.
-
1999
Graham Partners begins managing institutional capital in a traditional private equity fund format, investing in advanced manufacturing and industrial technology businesses.
-
2003
Inverness Graham was founded by Ken Graham to acquire innovative tech-enabled manufacturing, service, and software companies.
-
2005
Graham Software Development was founded by Erik Graham to provide private capital for technology businesses.
-
2005
The Graham Sustainability Institute founded at the University of Michigan to provide a bridge between the academic world and the business world in the field of sustainability.
-
2010
YSC Academy was founded to provide elite-level student-athletes in soccer with the opportunity to maximize their academic and athletic potential through innovative best practices in the classroom and on the field.
-
2013
The Silverback Educational Foundation for the Arts, Dance & Athletics was founded to support educational, artistic, and athletic opportunities and activities for underprivileged youth, as well as for individuals seeking to perform or compete at advanced levels in the arts, dance, or athletics.
-
2020
Striker Partners and the merchant banking arm of Allen Mooney & Barnes founded Frontline Healthcare Partners (FHP), to invest in lower middle market, distributed healthcare businesses.
-
2021
Graham Capital Investments (GCI) was created to make direct equity co-investments with independent sponsors and small general partners in existing portfolio companies and continuation vehicles, partnering with other firms which have close ties with family investment offices.
-
2021
The Charity of the Arts, Sports & Education (CHASE) was established to uplift under-resourced communities.
-
2024
Graham Sports Partners (GSP) is founded to manage a portfolio of direct investments across six soccer verticals, with additional Graham family capital available for new investments.
Graham Engineering
Divested 2021
Graham Engineering was the technological engine that drove the growth of Don Graham’s businesses, creating the heritage of The Graham Group as it exists today.
Graham Engineering has spawned numerous businesses in industrial technology and advanced manufacturing, but its primary activity today is the manufacturing of high-speed plastics and composites processing machinery and related technology, sold globally under the Graham Engineering brand. The company has been internationally recognized for innovating one of the world’s fastest and most cost-efficient technology lines for extrusion blow molding of plastic containers, known as the ‘Graham Wheel,’ which converted multiple industries to the plastic container from glass, metal and composites.
Graham Architectural
Divested 2021
Graham Architectural is a leading North American manufacturer of architectural windows designed for energy conservation with a historic preservation focus for commercial buildings, schools, colleges and universities, hotels, hospitals, and high-rise condominiums sold through a network of dealer/installers. Graham’s windows are custom engineered with state-of-the-art performance features including thermal performance, acoustics, blast mitigation, and hurricane-resistance. In 2021 Oldcastle, a unit of CRH plc, acquired Graham Architectural through an asset purchase.
Graham Packaging
Divested 2011
Graham Packaging is the world’s leading custom rigid plastic container manufacturer, and the world’s first bottle-to-bottle recycler of plastic containers, serving a wide range of global consumer packaged goods companies in the automotive, household chemical, and food & beverage markets. In 1998, The Blackstone Group acquired a majority stake in Graham Packaging in connection with a leveraged recapitalization of the company. This transaction was intended to augment Graham Packaging’s ability to fund global capital expansion initiatives, while providing the Graham family with increased liquidity to invest in other business ventures. The Graham family retained a minority ownership position in Graham Packaging for many years after this transaction was completed, until the company was sold to Reynolds Group in 2011.