Toronto firm Corbell acquires majority stake in RWC Systems

Key Takeaways:

• Corbell Private Capital has acquired a majority stake in RWC Systems, aiming to support the company’s strategic growth beyond Western Canada into a national presence, particularly targeting Eastern markets.
• RWC’s existing leadership team, including CEO Larry Robertson and his brother Rod, RWC director, will remain in place. Both companies are aligned on maintaining RWC’s strong culture, customer-first approach, and long-standing employee loyalty while scaling operations.
• Corbell brings not only capital but also operational expertise and a national network of trade partners. This partnership positions RWC to tap into rising demand in the residential and commercial construction sectors across Canada.

The Whole Story:

RWC Systems Inc. and Corbell Private Capital, a Toronto-based private equity firm, have announced a new partnership as Corbell acquires a majority stake in RWC Systems. 

It represents a special moment for RWC, which was started by Garth Robertson 47 years ago in a shed. It also is the beginning of RWC’s ambitous plans to expand far beyond Western Canada. 

“This is a huge milestone and it’s setting the business up for success,” said Larry Robertson, Garth’s son and RWC Systems CEO. “To get to this milestone has been a lot of hard work and it was done very strategically over the last 3 to 4 years. And it’s a big reward, but I think there’s a need in the market for what our vision is and we’re going to make sure we fill that gap and can offer our customers the RWC experience on the East Coast and all across the country.”

Headquartered in B.C., RWC Systems is known for its expertise in delivering large-scale drywall and interior systems for commercial, institutional, and healthcare clients. Past projects include Mills Memorial Hospital, Royal Columbian Hospital, St. Paul’s Hospital, The Stack in Vancouver, Amazon’s Vancouver headquarters, LNG Canada and Oakridge Centre.

Over the last few years, the company has expanded throughout B.C., doing projects in the Okanagan and Northern B.C. They are also currently doing a major project in Saskatchewan, the new Prince Albert Victoria Hospital.

“RWC has built an outstanding business under Larry and Rod’s leadership, with a reputation for excellence, a highly regarded management team, and a proven ability to scale,” said Eric Persi, Managing Partner at Corbell Private Capital. “We’re proud to invest in RWC, and we’re excited to collaborate closely with the existing management team, customers, and suppliers. Our goal is to support RWC’s national growth and strengthen its capabilities—while staying true to the company’s core values and customer-first approach.”

Larry, his brother, RWC Director Rod Robertson, and their leadership team will remain with RWC as it collaborates with Corbell on a growth strategy. 

“We will probably be a bit more strategic with what our leadership team is focused on as well as deepening those customer relationships and transferring them down to other members of the team,” said Larry. “We have people who have worked for us for 27 years and a lot of our top lead site leadership have been with us for 15 years or more … I think we’ve been a big promoter of recognizing people and what they accomplish and what they do for your business and then also giving them the autonomy to do something in your business and cutting those mooring lines with people and just letting them loose to do it. It’s amazing what can happen.”

Corbell Private Capital will provide strategic support, capital resources, and operational expertise to help accelerate RWC’s expansion, particularly into Eastern Canada, where growing demand for residential and commercial construction presents new opportunities. Corbell’s investment also brings access to a network of trade partners across the country.

“They have a vision for RWC that very importantly was the same vision Rod and I had,” said Larry. “We were kind of looking at a mountain going, how are we going to climb this? There’s a need. We’re both relatively young and we still have fire in the belly.”

Together, RWC Systems and Corbell are aligned in a shared vision to become the most distinctive and efficient commercial wall and ceiling company in all of Canada. RWC stated that the partnership ensures continuity for existing clients while unlocking new potential to deliver on a larger scale, without compromising the quality and service RWC is known for.

“We built a legacy and the most important part of it too is that Corbell recognizes that and they just want to build on that,” said Larry. “So, how we go about expanding Eastern Canada, we haven’t quite figured out yet, but we will.”