For many manufacturing business owners, selling the company is about far more than achieving the highest possible purchase price. You may have spent 20, 30, or 40 years building the business. Some employees may have worked alongside you for decades. Customers and suppliers may have become personal relationships. Your company may be an important employer […]
Inside the Trends Driving Industrial M&A Across the Lower Middle Market For years, many founder-owned manufacturing businesses across the Midwest quietly built successful companies without much outside attention. They focused on serving customers, investing in equipment, developing skilled workforces, and delivering quality products rather than actively preparing for a future sale. Today, however, many of […]
The Spring 2026 M&A Source Conference brought together many of the leading lower middle market M&A professionals from across North America for several days of education, networking, and dealmaking in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Held twice each year, the conference serves as one of the premier events for M&A advisors, investment bankers, private equity professionals, lenders, attorneys, […]
Each year, the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) hosts its Annual Conference, bringing together many of the most experienced business brokers, M&A advisors, investment bankers, valuation professionals, and transaction specialists from across North America and globally. I recently returned from the 2026 IBBA Annual Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where I participated in several days of […]
Why Aging Ownership, Labor Constraints, and Buyer Demand Are Reshaping Lower Middle Market Industrial M&A For decades, the Midwest manufacturing economy has been built by founder-led and family-owned businesses that quietly became essential suppliers to American industry. Many of these companies were not created through institutional capital or rapid-growth startup models. Instead, they were built […]
The latest IBBA and M&A Source Market Pulse survey provides one of the clearest real-time windows into buyer behavior, valuation trends, financing conditions, and seller sentiment across the lower middle market. Based on responses from 300 business brokers and M&A advisors representing 203 completed transactions in Q1 2026, the data points to a market that […]
Understanding What Drives Manufacturing Business Valuation in Today’s Lower Middle Market M&A Environment For many founder-owned manufacturing companies across the Midwest and Great Lakes regions, the current mergers and acquisitions market presents a confusing contradiction. Some businesses receive aggressive interest from strategic buyers and private equity groups, generate multiple offers, and command premium valuation multiples. […]
January 2026 marked a turning point after 12 consecutive months below expansion territory. In one of the first major economic data points of 2026, the U.S. manufacturing sector reversed a year-long contraction trend by posting a Manufacturing PMI® reading of 52.6% in January, up 4.7 percentage points from December’s 47.9%. A PMI reading above 50 signals […]
When a manufacturing company is acquired, the biggest variable isn’t the machinery; it’s the people. Missteps in leadership alignment, communication, or employee retention can quickly slow production, fracture culture, and erode the value you expect from the deal. This guide outlines eight essential steps to help manufacturing owners and operators keep teams aligned, reduce turnover, […]
The world of manufacturing mergers and acquisitions (M&A) is rapidly changing. In the current market, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) factors are no longer optional for manufacturing business owners. Whether you’re preparing to sell, planning to acquire, or simply aiming to maximize your company’s value, a deep understanding of ESG is essential. More than 70% […]