Demonstrating their adeptness at maneuvering during the pandemic, Calder/SBDA prove that they are among the fastest-growing M&A firms in the US.
Weinkauf Plumbing & Heating of Alpena, MI Company Acquired by Investor Group
Calder Capital is pleased to announce that its client, Weinkauf Plumbing & Heating, Inc., has been acquired. Established in 1959 by Walter and Theresa Weinkauf, Weinkauf Plumbing & Heating is a second-generation family plumbing and HVAC contractor located in Alpena, Michigan. Prior to the sale, the business was owned and operated by siblings Rob Weinkauf, Karen Lankheet, Alan Weinkauf, and Steve Weinkauf. The four co-owners of Weinkauf Plumbing & Heating were approaching retirement age and wanted to ensure a successful and careful transition for the business, its dedicated employees, and loyal customers. They engaged Calder Capital in 2020 in order to find its successor. Weinkauf Plumbing & Heating was acquired by a group of individual investors led by Alpena native, Luke Gerhart. Luke will assume a leadership role in the company and will use his decades of construction management experience to build and grow the company for its continued long-term success. “I am thrilled to continue what the Weinkauf family has built,” commented Luke Gerhart. “I look forward to taking the helm and leading Weinkauf through the next decade. Our group is committed to investing in the business, its employees, and the community of Alpena.” Matt Baas of Calder Capital […]
Calder Capital Buy-Side Client Update: September 2021
The leaves are beginning to change and the air is feeling crisp. At Calder, we are stocking the fridge with hard apple cider and as much pumpkin spice coffee as possible. Our Buy-Side team is hard at work fulfilling our current buy-side clients’ mandates. September set a new record for lead generation! How do we do this? It’s 90% elbow grease combined with 10% data science. We combine a personal touch, marketing automation, and data analytics to hone best practices with the tedious work that no one wants to do – lots of research, cold calls, and email outreach. Select Seller Leads Developed in September: Establishing Credibility as a Buyer Owners frequently receive inquiries from potential buyers that lead nowhere. In fact, 9 out of 10 buyers that investigate a business acquisition will never even close a deal! While this is a reality, over time potential sellers grow weary and skeptical of inquiries and become concerned about devoting time to buyer introductions as they fear it will just be a waste of time. This makes it even harder for a serious buyer to engage an owner about selling. How do you establish the credibility needed to […]
Calder Capital Buy-Side Client Update: August 2021
Can you believe August has already come and gone? It’s time to brief you in detail how Calder Capital’s Buy-Side team is fulfilling our current buy-side clients’ mandates. August was exceptional! How do we do this? It’s not rocket science. We combine a personal touch, automation, and data analytics with the tedious work that no one wants to do – lots of research, cold calls, and email outreach. Select Seller Leads Developed in August The Indication of Interest If you are an aggressive buyer you are likely speaking to more than one potential seller at a time. Given all the time, effort (emails and calls), and capital expended to unearth numerous prospects, how do you determine who to present a Letter of Intent (LOI) to? After all, an LOI is an offer with binding terms and at this stage it may be difficult to decide between numerous opportunities. A lesser known tool, often utilized by the Calder team, is the Indication of Interest (IOI). An IOI is generally two to three pages long and much like the LOI, an IOI allows a buyer to propose a purchase price, terms, deal structure, and transition expectations, simply without binding exclusivity […]
How to be Prepared Beyond the Pandemic: 4 Tips for the Owner of a Founder-Led Business
“What is my exit strategy?” This likely isn’t the first question a business owner asks when opening a business–let alone the second, third, or fourth question! Focus is better spent elsewhere when getting a business off the ground. At some point, however, the question of exit strategy should re-enter. A Mass Mutual Life Insurance survey found that less than half of founder-led businesses who expect to retire in the next 5 years have chosen a successor, and many are unprepared for how to handle a transition. Research has shown that the majority of family-owned businesses have not started the crucial steps for a successful ownership transition. What do the numbers show? 80% of family-owned businesses are still being controlled by their founders. A large portion of those founders are Baby Boomers who will have little choice but to retire in the near future. Many baby boomers who started businesses in their younger years are at or nearing retirement age. Yet 55 percent of CEOs have not chosen a successor, and an even more shocking number of 13 percent said they would never retire. While the global pandemic has disrupted many businesses’ long-term plans and created reactive conditions, there has never […]
C&K Box and Mulch Wholesalers of Jackson, MI Acquired by an Individual Investor!
Calder Capital is pleased to announce that C&K Box and Mulch Wholesalers of Jackson, MI have been acquired by an individual investor. Founded in 1960, C&K Box manufactures wood packaging products such as pallets, skids, crates, boxes, corner posts, stakes, and custom products tailored to clients’ needs. C&K Box has been owned by the Stevens family for several decades, and Mulch Wholesalers was established by second-generation owner Mark Stevens in 1995 as a method to minimize waste produced by C&K Box. The two companies share a unique synergistic relationship. The Companies were acquired by Dustin Ruth. Dustin has years of experience in business management, business ownership, and sales. “The symbiotic relationship of these two companies immediately stood out to me,” commented Dustin about the acquisition. “It’s rare to find two companies that are able to reduce waste and optimize sustainability so effectively. I’m excited to take it even further.” After 46 years of involvement with C&K Box, the Stevens family is ready to take a step back. The family engaged with Calder Capital at the end of 2020 to find the right buyer for the Companies, either separately or as a package. Sam Scharich and Ghazey Aleck, Mergers and Acquisitions […]
Charlesbrook Protection Services, LLC, of Grand Rapids, MI Acquired by an Individual Investor!
Calder Capital, LLC is excited to announce that Charlesbrook Protection Services, LLC, of Grand Rapids, MI has been acquired by an individual investor. Former police officer Ryan Woodford founded Charlesbrook Protection Services in 2014. Charlesbrook provides security guards for hire to protect businesses, institutions, and events. Charlesbrook was acquired by 10-year Marine veteran Chris Jansens, who is also the owner of Centurion Security Solutions in West Michigan. Charlesbrook will continue to operate under its original name and brand. “I was immediately impressed with Charlesbrook’s professionalism and reputation,” commented Chris Jansens. “Charlesbrook’s wide and loyal client base is a testament to the quality of their services, and I intend to continue that degree of service.” Charlesbrook Protection Services founder Ryan Woodford worked in law enforcement prior to starting the Company. While he has enjoyed operating Charlesbrook, he would like to pursue other interests outside of the criminal justice and protection services industry. He engaged with Calder Capital in 2020 in order to find the right buyer to take over the Company’s operations. “Matt Baas and the Calder team were excellent to work with,” said Woodford. “They remained engaged and focused even throughout the uncertainty of COVID which absolutely affected the event […]
Eidemiller Precision Machining of Milford, MI Acquired by Kyowa Industrial Co., Ltd. of Takasaki Japan!
Calder Capital, LLC, is excited to announce the acquisition of Eidemiller Precision Machining of Milford, Michigan by Kyowa Industrial, Co., Ltd., of Takasaki, Japan. Established in 1946, Kyowa Industrial is a precision manufacturer of complex prototype components and low volume production runs. The company is known for its exceptionally high-quality production of complex prototypes, dramatically fast and flexible delivery to meet tight schedules, ultra-thin walled components for maximum weight reduction, and start-to-finish service with complete confidentiality. Headquartered in Takasaki, Japan, Kyowa Industrial is eager to develop their presence in the United States and other overseas markets. The acquisition of Eidemiller Precision Machining allows Kyowa Industrial to expand to the automotive and manufacturing industries of the Midwest United States. “I feel confident that Eidemiller will be an excellent asset to Kyowa,” commented Atsushi Tanimoto, Kyowa’s North American President. “We’ve been in the market for such a company in this area for a long time, and I don’t think we could’ve found a better fit.” Eidemiller Precision Machining was founded in 1976, and in recent years it has been owned and operated solely by Marty Eidemiller. Over its five and a half decades, Eidemiller Precision Machining has grown from a small one-lathe […]
Record Growth Lands Calder Capital on Inc’s 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies List
Calder’s trail-blazing ascent to the fastest-growing M&A firm in the US–even through 2020. Grand Rapids, MI – August 10, 2021 – Michigan-headquartered M&A firm Calder Capital today announced it had been named to Inc. Magazine’s top 5000 most successful private companies in the country. Every year, Inc. generates a list of the top 5000 most successful private companies in the country based on their impressive growth over the course of a 3-year period. While there are other business organizations that dole out merit-based awards, Inc.’s prestigious compilation is different from the rest. “While all positive recognitions are a gift,” commented Calder Founder Max Friar, “getting on the Inc. 5000 list is my kind of award because it’s based on the facts. It looks at hard sales data and recognizes companies that have shown exceptional growth.” Unlike other lists that are based on judges’ rankings, which often consider factors other than growth, Inc.’s list requires that a company meet strict eligibility requirements: Companies must be privately-owned, based in the United States, independent, have started earning revenue by March 31st, 2016, had revenue no less than $100,000 in 2016, had revenue no less than $2,000,000 in 2019, and revenue in 2019 exceeds […]
Calder Capital Welcomes Niko Singh to the Advisor Team!
Calder Capital is thrilled to welcome Niko Singh to the firm as our new Mergers and Acquisitions Advisor. Based in Pittsburgh, PA, Mr. Singh will be providing sell-side and buy-side advisory services to businesses located in the East Coast area. Niko has a wide range of business experience which makes him an asset to any business owner. He’s highly experienced in high-level business operations, specifically quality control, asset management, and strategizing to optimize cash flow. He has fifteen years of experience in working with manufacturing companies. Niko also has experience in planning, safety, and logistics in the Alaskan big oil and natural gas industry. Niko has founded a few startup companies, and he’s highly familiar with business operations in Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas. He is strategically positioned to offer our advisory services to East Coast clientele. “Niko is a great addition to our team,” remarked Max Friar, Managing Partner of Calder Capital. “We are very excited to be expanding our services across the country. He has a steady temperament which can be an ideal trait in business brokerage, and he brings a lot of business strategizing expertise to the table. As Calder continues to grow each year, it’s exciting […]