Case Studies
J.S. Held Acquires Technorm, Québec’s Leading Forensic, Building Safety & Compliance Experts
Read MoreTrusted Operational Advisor within Strategic Advisory - Operational Value Creation Offering Multiple Services:
For nearly 10 years, we have continued to be a strategic partner to a $350M revenue outdoor products manufacturer. Over this period, the company has experienced various changes that included growth opportunities while also facing operational and financial challenges. Our role began when the business was originally acquired by a PE sponsor from closely held private owners. The company experienced several years of expansion with points of transition and value enhancement until it was sold to a new PE sponsor. At that point, the company began an aggressive growth strategy, which brought tremendous opportunity and exposed voids in key leadership and knowledge gaps within its operation. Throughout this period, the company continued to drive change; revisit strategy; integrate its people, products, and processes; and professionalize its operations across the entire platform. We have extended their collective teams (business and PE sponsor) and taken on many of these challenges to drive value into their business.
This engagement has been mutually fulfilling as it was a primary catalyst for creating the Operational Value Creation team within our Strategic Advisory Practice, and it has also showcased the hands-on roles we offer to help transform organizations.
From our initial due diligence role, we have continually offered insights and strategic guidance, which the company has leveraged to continue its growth trajectory. Our due diligence was much more than informative as it provided critical insights to enhance the growth plan, modify negotiations, forecast essential capital expenditures, and facilitate organizational design improvements. After the acquisition, our team also offered point solutions for operational improvements in manufacturing operations, automation opportunities, and critical parts of the supply chain.
As the M&A activity continued under new PE sponsorship, we provided subsequent due diligence support that led to additional operational improvement plans, including flow changes, upgraded supply chain management, more efficient use of working capital, and improved throughput efficiencies. We also provided instrumental analysis and guidance in closing the acquisition transaction, which was supported by our Financial Services team.
Unfortunately, the company experienced a significant loss of leadership soon after the transaction close and was at risk of losing a meaningful investment in the early stages. Given our experience and proximity to the operation, we immediately stepped in as interim leadership and took accountability for the new acquisition. Not only did our team pull it back from risk of loss, but we drove significant improvements into the operation (75% improvement in throughput, 90% reduction in aged backlog, added financial controls over costs, and more) as we led the transition to permanent leadership.
As the company continued to improve operations, we have helped fill crucial roles in facilitating strategic planning, leading changes in operational improvements, filling essential gaps with plant controllers, and driving critical improvement projects.
Indicative of this relationship, our team stands ready to augment business leadership and PE sponsor’s operating organization by owning the challenges that companies face. We are trusted advisors who bring hands-on accountability from the boardroom to the shop floor, driving operational value to all stakeholders. Businesses need to improve; we deliver results.
Rodney Gayle, CTP
Managing Director
Strategic Advisory Practice
+1 484 841 6811
[email protected]
> Organizational Performance Improvement
We leverage extensive experience to serve as a partner to organizations to implement the appropriate operational steps to grow their business and create enterprise value. Our experts have diverse backgrounds and are expert problem solvers. We rapidly assess a situation, develop a holistic solution, and execute efficiently with purpose.
> Organizational Strategy & Operations Leadership
Our team leverages extensive and wide-ranging expertise to deliver strategic guidance and provide executive leadership to support companies throughout their lifecycle. We provide critical guidance by taking a hands-on approach to ensure accountability while building the stabilizing pillars to maximize long-term enterprise value.
> Operational Value Creation
We provide operationally focused business solutions to address the diverse challenges of companies across a myriad of industries. We take a hands-on approach with clients to transform processes, people, and systems to improve operations. Our approach puts our experts at the tip of the spear, leading the transformation of an organization with purpose and positioning them for long-term, sustainable growth.