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Highlights

  • Zello has acquired Cinelease from Herc Rentals in a strategic entertainment infrastructure transaction.
  • Cinelease will operate as a standalone company under Zello while retaining its leadership team.
  • The acquisition enables Cinelease to expand its production support services across North America.

Zello, a private investment platform focused on businesses in the entertainment industry, announced its acquisition of Cinelease from Herc Rentals (NYSE: HRI). The move marks a key step in Zello’s effort to expand infrastructure that supports global content creation, particularly across the film and television sectors in North America.

Cinelease, founded in 1977, is recognized for its lighting and grip rental services, studio management, and longstanding relationships within the entertainment industry. The company provides integrated equipment and studio offerings to thousands of film, television, and commercial productions annually, with operations extending across major U.S. and Canadian production hubs.

Under the terms of the acquisition, Cinelease will continue to operate as a standalone, privately held company. Its leadership team — Mark Lamberton, Chris Rogers, and Gannon Murphy — will remain in place. Zello plans to support the business through its operational expertise in production infrastructure and studio logistics, while maintaining Cinelease’s existing service model and market approach.

Zello emphasized that the acquisition aligns with its strategy to back foundational assets in the entertainment ecosystem. Financing for the transaction was provided by MidCap Financial, which is owned and managed by Apollo Global Management. Legal and financial advisory support for the deal came from Proskauer Rose LLP, EY, and American Discovery Capital on Zello’s side, while Herc Rentals was advised by Sidley Austin LLP and Goldman Sachs.

The acquisition is expected to provide Cinelease with additional operational scale to meet the evolving needs of the entertainment industry while preserving the company’s service-oriented culture and market position.