Kanawha Scales & Systems Announces Strategic Investment, Launch of Employee Ownership Plan
Poca, WV – November 24, 2025 – Kanawha Scales & Systems (KSS), a recognized leader in industrial weighing systems and automation solutions, is pleased to announce a strategic investment from Investcorp, a leading global investment firm with an exceptional track record in partnering with industrial services businesses. This partnership marks a pivotal moment in KSS’s history, positioning the company to grow service capabilities and product offerings, accelerate its expansion, and deepen its commitment to employees through the launch of an Employee Ownership Plan (EOP).
Founded in 1954 and headquartered in Poca, West Virginia, KSS has built a strong reputation for delivering mission-critical scale and instrument calibration, maintenance, and repair services, as well as specialty weighing and material handling systems across a wide range of industries. As regulatory requirements and automation adoption continue to rise, demand for KSS’s services are growing rapidly and this investment positions the company to meet that demand with expanded capabilities, an expanded footprint, and renewed focus.
As part of this new chapter, KSS is launching a landmark Employee Ownership Plan, granting all employees with at least one year of service shares in the business at no cost. This initiative is the first of its kind for a weighing company backed by a financial sponsor; and it is designed to achieve 100% employee participation, including future team members from acquired companies.
“This is an exciting new chapter for KSS. Our team has always been the heart of our success, and the Employee Ownership Plan reflects our belief in shared growth and long-term value,” says KSS CEO, Chris Carsten. “By giving our employees a direct stake in the company’s future, we’re strengthening our culture and creating new opportunities for everyone.” KSS will continue to operate independently with a focus on delivering exceptional value to customers nationwide, expanding its service offerings and geographic reach, investing in employee development, and accelerating strategic growth through mergers and acquisitions.
Amit Gaind, Senior Managing Director of North America Private Equity at Investcorp, adds: “KSS business is driven by regulatory requirements and demands support from highly trained technicians ‒ an area where we bring deep expertise. KSS has built an industry-leading reputation by exceeding the expectations of its customers and vendors while providing a compelling value proposition to its employees. We believe Investcorp’s deep experience supporting technician-centric, branch-based companies like KSS, as well as implementing employee ownership programs, will enable us to immediately add value and help accelerate the company’s growth.”
With its acquisitions of Memphis Scale Works, American Scale Company, and American Welding Service in 2023, as well as Velcon Filling Systems in 2024, Kanawha Scales & Systems now operates 28 branches across the United States. KSS remains committed to providing expert scale service, calibration, and customized weighing and automation solutions to its many customers across a variety of industries. The new strategic partnership with Investcorp ensures KSS is well-positioned to lead the industry into the future, while continuing to grow, and staying true to its employee-first values.
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