As Johnd stated earlier, we probably won’t know what this means to the Davis product line for the next 6-12 months. My guess, very little will happen. The prior owners probably wanted to cash out and the numbers wouldn’t support an IPO, so this transaction makes a lot of sense, at least to the prior owners. The product line will likely stay pretty much in tact and the chances of a VP3? If the new owners can do it without a lot a capital, maybe, but since that may require a fair amount of cash, who knows? Maybe in the short-term they can fix (i.e., replace) the VP2 inconsistent (temperamental) SHT31 humidity-temperature sensor and take it from there. The addition of the aerocone and the spoon tipper were really small enhancements, but it likely showed to Union Park that Davis management was still trying to improve the VP2 without having to create a whole new product, which we enthusiasts have termed a VP3.
The new owners, Union Park Capital, have only been in business since 2012 (per their website). Not a lot of track record to reflect on. That’s not a positive or a negative, just a fact. However, on paper, they serve a valuable service to small businesses that are trying to “continue their dream” that is, continue the business concept and provide a financial exit for the prior owners.