Exit Strategies Group Advises on Successful Sale of Automation Inc.

/in , /by Al Statz

Exit Strategies Group, Inc. is pleased to announce that it recently served as exclusive M&A advisor to the owners of industrial automation solution provider Automation Inc. on their successful sale to Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE: AIT). Deal terms were not disclosed.

Founded in Minneapolis in 1981, Automation, Inc. distributes motion controls, robotics, machine vision, process controls, sensors, pneumatics, material handling and machine framing components from leading global manufacturers, and designs and builds mixed technology systems.  Exceptional technical support and extensive production, engineering and system integration services have made Automation Inc. a sought-after supplier partner to major OEM and end user manufacturers in the Upper Midwest.

Exit Strategies is incredibly pleased to have partnered with Henry O’Donnell and Scott Sorensen and the Automation Inc. management team. We led them through a structured sale process that produced multiple competitive bids and optimized shareholder value. This deal illustrates Exit Strategies’ continued commitment to providing strategic valuation and M&A advisory services to North American industrial automation technology companies.

Applied Industrial Technologies is a leading value-added distributor and technical solutions provider of industrial motion, fluid power, flow control, automation technologies, and related maintenance supplies. Its leading brands, specialized services, and comprehensive knowledge serve MRO and OEM end users in virtually all industrial markets through our multi-channel capabilities that provide choice, convenience, and expertise. For more information, visit www.applied.com.

About Exit Strategies Group

Exit Strategies is a leading provider of strategic merger and acquisition advice/execution and business valuation services. Founded in 2002, with offices in San Francisco CA and Portland OR, the firm has advised on well over 100 M&A transactions and has performed hundreds of business valuations. Exit Strategies represents closely-held and family-owned companies and helps them optimize results in a strategic sale or recapitalization. Its industry expertise spans all areas of industrial automation products and services and advanced manufacturing. For more information visit www.exitstrategiesgroup.com.

Al Statz is the founder and president of Exit Strategies Group. To discuss a potential business sale, merger or acquisition, confidentially, Al can be reached at 707-781-8580 or alstatz@exitstrategiesgroup.com.

Exit Strategies Group Advises Neff Power in Successful Sale

/in , /by Al Statz

Exit Strategies Group, Inc. is pleased to announce that it recently served as exclusive M&A Advisor to St. Louis based automation solution provider Neff Power, Inc. on their successful acquisition by GCG, a portfolio company of private equity firm Audax Group. Deal terms were not disclosed.

Founded in 1965, Neff Power is a fast-growing industrial automation solutions provider serving customers in 10 states. They distribute robotics, motion controls, sensors, safety, vision, pneumatics and other automation products from leading global manufacturers, and provide significant technical support, production services and engineered solutions. Neff Power is an ISO 9001:2015 Certified company focused on delivering outstanding service to its customers and to continuously improving that service. They have a strong management team, a talented and technically proficient workforce, and they utilize advanced integrated business systems. Overall, a great company.

GCG is a leading value-added provider meeting the wire, cable, connectivity and automation needs of customers across a wide spectrum of markets, including Industrial Automation, Communications and Industrial OEM. GCG also has cable assembly operations and is a leading wire and cable provider to the U.S. Navy.

“Exit Strategies is incredibly pleased to have partnered with Kent and Loretto Wemhoener and the Neff Power team. Our process generated strong interest from multiple strategic acquirers and equity partners, and GCG ultimately provided the best combination of economic terms and cultural and strategic fit” said Al Statz, President of Exit Strategies Group. “We are thrilled with the outcome for the Wemhoeners and their team as they continue building on their success and drive this segment of the industrial automation market forward. This acquisition illustrates Exit Strategies’ continued commitment to providing strategic valuation and M&A advisory services to U.S. industrial automation technology companies.”

About Exit Strategies Group

Exit Strategies is a leading provider of strategic merger and acquisition advice/execution and business valuation services. Founded in 2002, with offices in San Francisco CA and Portland OR, the firm has advised on well over 100 M&A transactions. Exit Strategies represents closely-held and family-owned companies and helps them optimize results in a strategic sale or recapitalization. Its industry expertise spans all areas of industrial automation products and services and advanced manufacturing. For more information visit www.exitstrategiesgroup.com.

Al Statz is the founder and president of Exit Strategies Group. To discuss a potential business sale, merger or acquisition, confidentially, Al can be reached at 707-781-8580 or alstatz@exitstrategiesgroup.com.

Exit Strategies Group Advises Excelsior in Sale to Ryerson

/in , /by Al Statz

Exit Strategies Group, Inc. is pleased to announce that it recently served as the exclusive M&A advisor to the owners of metal fabrication and machining company Excelsior Inc. on their successful sale to Ryerson (NYSE: RYI). Deal terms were not disclosed.

Founded in 1996, Excelsior is a California-based metal fabrication and machining company specializing in large-scale materials, assemblies and industrial millwright services. The company serves a diverse set of manufacturing clients in industries ranging from food processing to renewable energy, EV, oil & gas, agriculture and medical equipment. They have over 80,000 SF of operations in California’s Central Valley and Silicon Valley.

Ryerson is a leading value-added processor and distributor of industrial metals, with operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China. Founded in 1842, Ryerson has around 4,000 employees in approximately 100 locations.

“Exit Strategies is delighted to have partnered with Excelsior owners Ray Roush and Heins Pedersen. Our process generated strong interest from both strategic and financial buyers, and Ryerson ultimately provided the best combination of economic terms and cultural fit” said Al Statz, President of Exit Strategies Group. “This deal illustrates Exit Strategies’ continued commitment to providing strategic valuation and M&A advisory services to U.S. manufacturing and industrial service companies.”

About Exit Strategies Group

Exit Strategies Group (ESG) is a leading provider of strategic merger and acquisition advice/execution and business valuation services. Founded in 2002, with offices in San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento and Portland, ESG represents private companies on the sell-side and works with private equity, public and private companies and family offices on the buy-side. Its industry expertise spans all areas of advanced manufacturing, automation, business services, and food and beverage. Since inception, ESG has advised on well over 100 M&A transactions.

Al Statz is the founder and president of Exit Strategies Group. To discuss a potential business sale, merger or acquisition, confidentially, Al can be reached at 707-781-8580 or alstatz@exitstrategiesgroup.com.

Exit Strategies Group Announces the Sale of Catalyst UX

/in , /by Roy Martinez

September 30, 2022 (Silicon Valley, CA)

Exit Strategies Group advised Catalyst UX, a leading provider of User Experience design and development, on its recent sale to Unosquare.

Headquartered in Portland, Oregon with offices in the USA, Mexico, and the UK, Unosquare builds custom software – and the required engineering teams – for cancer diagnostics technology, healthcare, fintech, and high-tech companies. Unosquare uses a proven model to provide fully Agile software engineering teams, BI, staff augmentation, cloud migration consulting, application development, QA/test solutions, and application support programs with more than 1,000 successful projects completed. Unosquare has been one of the 100 fastest growing private companies in Oregon three years in a row and was most recently on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies in the USA for 2015 and 2016.

“It was a pleasure working with Paul Giurata, the CEO of Catalyst on this transaction. We are excited about integrating Catalyst with Unosquare and appreciate the opportunity to play a part in bringing them together”, said Roy Martinez. “We think Catalyst and Unosquare are a great fit.

Roy Martinez is a business intermediary at Exit Strategies Group. To confidentially discuss a potential business sale, merger or acquisition, Roy can be reached at 707-781-8583 or jroymartinez@exitstrategiesgroup.com.

Exit Strategies Group Advises on Successful Sale of Walker Industrial

/in , /by Al Statz

Exit Strategies Group, Inc. is pleased to announce that it recently served as exclusive M&A advisor to the owners of Walker Industrial in their successful sale to Graybar. Deal terms were not disclosed.

Founded in Newtown, Connecticut in 1977, Walker Industrial is a value-added distributor of industrial automation products in New England and online. Founder Jack Ryan says this of his experience working with Exit Strategies Group, “Their understanding of our industry and our business was second to none. Their process attracted the best strategic buyers for our company. … This led to multiple rounds of bidding and resulted in having three finalists to choose from at very attractive valuations.”

Al Statz, President of Exit Strategies Group said, “I feel honored to play a part in every client’s story but working with Jack was extra gratifying because we’ve known each other since early in my career when I was running an automation manufacturing company. Jack’s exceptional life and legacy is an inspiration, and I look forward to seeing what he does in full retirement mode. Getting to watch clients explore new passions after a successful sale or recapitalization of their life’s work is one of the reasons I love the M&A profession.”

Graybar is a leading distributor of electrical, communications and data networking products and provider of related supply chain management and logistics services.

About Exit Strategies Group

Exit Strategies is a leading provider of strategic merger and acquisition advice/execution and business valuation services. Founded in 2002, with offices in San Francisco CA and Portland OR, the firm has advised on well over 100 M&A transactions. Exit Strategies represents closely-held and family-owned companies and helps them optimize results in a strategic sale or recapitalization. Its industry expertise spans all areas of industrial automation products and services and advanced manufacturing. For more information visit www.exitstrategiesgroup.com.

Al Statz is the founder and president of Exit Strategies Group. To discuss a potential business sale, merger or acquisition, confidentially, Al can be reached at 707-781-8580 or alstatz@exitstrategiesgroup.com.

Exit Strategies Group Initiates the Acquisition of Ibex Engineering by Motion Solutions

/in , /by Al Statz

Exit Strategies Group has advised Motion Solutions, a leading provider of custom engineered positioning systems and a portfolio company of Frontenac, on the recent acquisition of Ibex Engineering.

Based in Newbury Park, CA, Ibex Engineering is a manufacturer of precision linear and rotary positioning systems for original equipment manufacturers.  The partnership will give Motion Solutions even greater access to the ultra-precision end of the market and bring advanced automated manufacturing capabilities, and give Ibex more resources to serve higher volume clients.

“It was a pleasure working with the leadership of Motion Solutions and Frontenac on this transaction. We are excited to see the combined team’s future success unfold and are thankful to have played a part in bringing them together!”, said Al Statz, President & CEO of Exit Strategies Group.

Motion Solutions, based in Aliso Viejo, CA, provides custom, application-specific engineered systems to OEMs and industrial customers in the medical, life sciences, semiconductor, robotics, and industrial automation sectors. They provide a complete selection of services, including electro-mechanical design, prototype and volume manufacturing, and engineering expertise.

Frontenac is a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on investing in lower middle market buyout transactions in the consumer, industrial, and services industries. Frontenac works in partnership with established operating leaders, through an executive-centric approach called CEO1ST, which seeks to identify, acquire, and build market-leading companies through transformational acquisitions and operational excellence. Over the last 50+ years, Frontenac has worked with over 275 owners of mid-sized businesses as they address complex transition issues of liquidity, management enhancement, and growth planning.

Al Statz is the founder and president of Exit Strategies Group. To discuss a potential business sale, merger or acquisition, confidentially, Al can be reached at 707-781-8580 or alstatz@exitstrategiesgroup.com.

$1.1 Billion Sets New Record for C.I.A. Members

/in , /by Al Statz

Cornerstone International Alliance (C.I.A.) members completed 146 business transactions in 2021, representing more than $1.1 billion in combined transaction value.

Cornerstone International Alliance is comprised of 25 industry-leading M&A and investment banking firms in the U.S. and across the globe, focused exclusively on serving businesses in the lower middle market. Exit Strategies Group is a founding member of the Alliance and our CEO Al Statz serves on its board.

“This is an incredible accomplishment and a testament to our member’s expertise, the strength of the organization and the global network it creates,” said Nick Olsen, Managing Director of Cornerstone International Alliance. “The members’ combined experience, resources and collaborative efforts are generating a new level of value for their clients in the lower middle market, and we’re excited about what’s ahead in 2022.”

The Alliance members typically work with business owners whose companies have $500,000 to $10 million in EBITDA or $5 million to $150 million in revenue; the primary services provided include business sales, acquisitions, and valuations.

“We’re always striving to find ways to help one another through networking and the sharing of best practices, which is the goal of the organization,” explains Al Statz, CEO of Exit Strategies Group. “All CIA member firms have a track record of success and high integrity. And together we are actively working to set the standard for M&A excellence in the lower middle market.”

Founded in 2018, C.I.A. members have completed over 3,600 business transactions.

Exit Strategies Group Celebrates 20th Anniversary

/in , /by Al Statz

I’m proud to announce that 2022 marks a new milestone for Exit Strategies Group – our 20th year in business!

I really appreciate those entrepreneurs and professional advisors who put their faith in us in those early days, and I thank the hundreds who have relied on us since.

We have grown slowly and steadily since 2002 through an interesting range of market conditions. Today we have a team of 14 accomplished professionals committed to providing the very best M&A advice / execution and business valuation services to owners of family owned and closely-held companies. Though still focused on California, we are now completing deals and valuing companies throughout the U.S.

I am happy to say that I still enjoy the same aspects of the business that I did when I started Exit Strategies Group. All of us find it extremely gratifying to help owners achieve successful business sales, mergers, acquisitions, estate plans, buy-sell transactions, management buyouts, buy-ins, stock ownership plans, retirements, corporate restructurings, and other important financial transactions.

Please join us in celebrating 20 successful years of service! And join us as we continue to serve, grow, adapt and have fun in the years ahead.

Sincerely,

Al Statz, Founder & President, Exit Strategies Group, Inc.

Exit Strategies Group Announces Successful Sale of AAP Automation

/in , /by Al Statz

(Englewood, CO) Exit Strategies Group, Inc. is pleased to announce that it recently served as exclusive M&A advisor to the shareholders of AAP Automation on their successful sale to Ohio Transmission Corporation (OTC), a portfolio company of Genstar Capital. OTC is one of the largest industrial distributors and service providers in the United States. AAP Automation will operate under OTC’s Industrial Products Group segment. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1982 by C Hutton Smith and Robert Noyes, AAP Automation, Inc. is a leading value-added distributor of world-class industrial automation products and provider of custom engineered solutions. Technologies include motion control, sensors, pneumatic valves and actuators, vacuum, air prep, machine framing, safety and robotics. AAP is an authorized distributor for over 50 manufacturers, including many industry leaders.  AAP has three sales offices and two field service locations in Arizona, Colorado and Utah and has 55 employees. AAP’s footprint also reaches into Idaho, Wyoming, and New Mexico.

The Ohio Transmission Corporation Family of Companies has 1,400 associates serving 45 states from over 50 locations. They are a leading technical distributor of highly engineered motion control, pump, finishing, and air compressor products. OTC serves over 15,000 customers across diverse end-markets by developing technical and consultative sales, repair and aftermarket capabilities.

“Exit Strategies Group is delighted to have advised the shareholders of AAP Automation in a structured sale process. We received several strong offers for AAP and OTC prevailed with the best combination of financial terms and strategic and cultural fit,” said Al Statz, President of Exit Strategies Group. “This deal illustrates Exit Strategies’ continued commitment to providing strategic valuation and M&A advisory services to founder and operator owned industrial automation technology companies.”

Exit Strategies Group (ESG) is a California-based provider of strategic merger and acquisition advice/execution and business valuation services. Founded in 2002, with offices in San Francisco and Portland, ESG represents private companies on the sell-side and works with private equity, public and private companies and family offices on the buy-side. Its industry expertise spans all areas of industrial automation products and services and advanced manufacturing. Since inception, ESG has advised on well over 100 M&A transactions. For more information visit www.exitstrategiesgroup.com.

Exit Strategies Group Announces Successful Acquisition of Exoskeleton Maker suitX

/in , /by Al Statz

(Berkeley, CA) –  Exit Strategies Group, Inc. is pleased to announce that it recently served as exclusive M&A advisor to the shareholders of US Bionics, Inc., dba suitX, on their successful acquisition by Ottobock.

SuitX is a VC, industry and government funded company spun out of the Robotics and Human Engineering Lab at the University of California, Berkeley that produces advanced accessible exoskeletons for industrial and medical markets. Germany-based Ottobock is a global innovator of prosthetics, orthotics, and exoskeletons. The companies are combining their expertise and product lines to take the exoskeleton market to a new level and foster the worldwide adoption of exoskeletons. Tony Westfall and Al Statz led this project for Exit Strategies Group. Deal terms were not disclosed.

“Exit Strategies Group is honored to have delivered a positive outcome for founder Dr Homayoon Kazerooni and his talented team and investors. suitX products improve the quality of lives for people with musculoskeletal injuries, reduce workplace injuries and improve human productivity in manufacturing, logistics, construction and other work environments. It is exciting to see these firms join forces to become the world leader in occupational exoskeletons, and we wish them all the best,” said Al Statz, President of Exit Strategies Group. “This deal illustrates our continued commitment to providing strategic valuation and M&A advisory services to U.S. automation and robotic technology companies.”

Read Ottobock’s News Release >>

Exit Strategies Group (ESG) is a California-based provider of strategic merger and acquisition advice and execution, and business valuation services. Founded in 2002, with offices in San Francisco and Portland, ESG represents private companies on the sell-side and works with private equity, public and private companies and family offices on the buy-side. ESG has advised on well over 100 M&A transactions, in many industries. For more information visit www.exitstrategiesgroup.com