Private equity firm Bregal Partners has acquired Shock Doctor Inc. for an undisclosed amount.

Shock Doctor makes athletic products for hockey, football, baseball, basketball, soccer, martial arts, boxing and lacrosse. The company makes protective products as well as sports gloves, insoles and mouth guards.

The deal allows Bregal to move into the intersection of consumer products and health care, which it has been pursuing, according to the firm's co-founder Robert Bergmann. "Beyond entering new categories, the company should also benefit from overall market growth and an ability to acquire other industry participants," says Bergmann.

Bregal, headquartered in New York, has about $500 million in capital under management. In January, the firm bought assets from Ceiba Energy Services Inc. and Phyllis Disposal Ltd.to add to portfolio company Aqua Terra Water Management. The firm created Aqua Terra in November as a way to move into the wastewater services industry. 

Shock Doctor was sold by private equity firm Norwest Equity Partners, a Minneapolis, Minn.-based private equity firm.

William Blair & Co. provided financial advice to Norwest on the deal, while Lindquist & Vennum acted as legal counsel. Dechert LLP provided legal advice to Bregal. 

Financial services industry