ACR Group Corp., a Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based satellite company backed by private equity, has merged two of its affiliates into one firm that will be headed by local leadership.
ACR, owned by New York private equity firm The Jordan Co., is combining Manassas satellite communications firm NAL Research Corp. and Arizona-based Blue Sky Network. It bought NAL in 2016 and Blue Sky in 2022.
The merged entity will be called NAL Research and will be headquartered at 11100 Endeavor Court, near the Prince William Parkway. It will also keep its offices in Chantilly and Fredericksburg.
Robert Bills, president of NAL Research, will lead the merged organization, which will operate under the two brands for now.
Blue Sky Network’s office in Brazil will also remain in operation, though its U.S. presence will be shifted to Manassas.
"This merger represents a significant opportunity for both commercial and government customers that are in need of global and secure connectivity," Bills said in an emailed statement. "While we’re folding Blue Sky Networks headquarters and operations with ours in Virginia, we remain dedicated to preserving both brands while strengthening and expanding their respective product offerings."
A spokesperson for NAL Research declined to disclose employment figures for the respective companies but shared that the combined company will have between 60 and 65 employees. According to global employment figures on LinkedIn, NAL Research has about 40 employees and Blue Sky Network has about 50.
NAL Research specializes in designing and manufacturing satellites and other devices that can be used for communications and tracking capabilities globally.
