Manufacturing
We know how to sell manufacturing companies.
Fabricators, coatings, plastics, metals and specialty producers — we know what buyers look for in a manufacturing business: equipment, capacity, customer mix and the people who run the floor.
We know the buyers
Strategic acquirers adding capacity or capabilities, private equity groups building manufacturing platforms, and search funds and individual buyers looking for a well-run operation.
What drives your valuation
- Repeat and contracted customersHow much revenue comes back year after year, and how much is under contract.
- Customer concentrationHow much rides on your largest customers, and whether your top five are under contract.
- Supplier concentrationHow dependent you are on a single vendor.
- MarginsYour profit margin, how steady it is, and how it compares with your industry.
- Revenue stabilityHow steady revenue is month to month and year to year.
- Owner dependenceHow much of the business runs without you.
…and the factors that matter in any business: customer and vendor concentration, revenue stability and how well receivables are collected. Buyers will also ask about equipment, capacity, certifications and the people who run the floor; we present those in your marketing materials.
We take the mystery out of multiples
Two businesses that look the same from the outside can sell for very different multiples. We show you:
- how your business grades on every factor buyers pay for
- what would raise (or lower) your multiple, and by how much
- a plan to get there, reviewed with you every six months
Where every sale starts
Hoping a buyer approaches you with a great offer isn't a strategy. Your Strategic Value Blueprint is.
- Know what it's worthNot a back-of-the-napkin number. We rebuild your financials, normalize them the way a buyer will, and score every factor that moves your multiple.
- See what moves itWe walk you through your fair market value and show how changes in your business would raise or lower the price.
- Build the strategySell next month or in five years. We review the plan with you every six months and revalue the business every year, or sooner if you need it.
How we sell a business
A single interested buyer isn't a sale. Working with hundreds of buyers at the same time takes a solid process, so every sale follows the same six steps.
- Valuation and planA detailed valuation of what your business is worth and why, and a plan built around your timeline.
- A dedicated buyer searchWe personally reach hundreds of qualified buyers for every business we take to market. We don't post a listing and hope.
- Round one: offers at the same timeBuyers submit offers by a set deadline. You compare them side by side in your owner portal and pick the strongest five to ten.
- You meet the finalistsYou meet and interview each of the five to ten buyers you moved forward before they go on to round two. Meanwhile they review detailed financials and get their questions answered.
- Round two: leverageFinalists submit letters of intent by a second deadline, and we negotiate until one wins.
- CloseAfter the letter of intent is signed, we guide the transaction through due diligence and the purchase agreement, and keep it on track to closing.
About six months from signing our engagement agreement to closing, for most sales. We never put an asking price on your business. Buyers compete, and the competition sets the number.
The Vista process
Why it works
- It starts with detail. Our valuation takes work. We request a lot of documents, ask a lot of questions and verify the answers. You get an accurate picture of what your business is worth and what's driving that value. When you sell, buyers won't find anything we haven't already found and disclosed. No surprises, no stress, a smooth closing.
- It brings the market to you. Every offer arrives on the same deadline, an average of 49 first-round offers per business. Not one offer every few days, each with a different deadline. We set the deadlines and run the process. You decide who to sell to.
- Competition sets the price. Buyers make their offers knowing they're competing with other buyers for your business. We never put an asking price on it.
- The leverage is yours. Sell on your own and you're usually negotiating with one buyer and one offer, so the buyer holds the leverage. With us you have many offers at the same time, so you hold it. You keep it through the final round: your finalists submit letters of intent by a second deadline, and every one of them knows you have other options.
- You choose the buyer. No lying awake wondering whether the one offer in hand is a good one. You'll see every offer side by side, move the best five to ten forward, meet them by video and interview them for fit (personality, philosophy, plans for your people) before you pick. You're not selling to just anyone.
- It closes. Buyers review the detailed financials before they submit a letter of intent, so there's no "we didn't know" renegotiation in due diligence.
Will people find out I'm selling?
- Buyers see a blind summary first. No name, no location detail that gives you away.
- Your name comes only after a signed confidentiality agreement.
What owners say
“Vista Business Group was very instrumental in finding the 'right' type of buyer for my business. They are knowledgeable in virtually all aspects of the process — from determining price, assisting with the LOI, legal and accounting references, and helping me understand the purchase agreement documents.”
Businesses we've sold: Manufacturing
Metal Roofing & Buildingshas been acquired byprivate equityVista represented the sellerA family-owned company that manufactures and resells metal building components and steel roofing materials for both commercial buildings and residential housing.
ManufacturingTexashas been acquired byprivate equityVista represented the sellerThe company manufactures transportable lab equipment, primarily used in the oil and gas industries.
AgricultureMidwesthas been acquired byprivate equityVista represented the sellerA leading distributor and manufacturer of agricultural quality control products, distributing worldwide. The company has been in business for many years and has a large customer base of clients in the United States and in over 85 countries.
Manufacturinghas been acquired byan individual buyerVista represented the sellerA global producer of heat transfer and screen-print equipment for the graphic printing industry, dough and meat presses for the commercial food service business, and oven and dryers for industrial manufacturing operations.
Sealants sold into the agriculture sectorKansashas been acquired bya strategic buyerVista represented the sellerThe company manufactured its own branded sealants and related chemical products. Their primary clients were dairies and swine facilities.
Our client, a strategic buyer, has acquireda Machine Shop with clients in the aerospace and automotive sectors. companyOregonVista represented the buyerThe company is a CNC machine shop with clients in the aerospace and automotive sectors. Vista Business Group reached out to the owner on behalf of the buyer. The owner was retirement age and had been trying to sell his business.
Manufacturer Representativehas been acquired byan individual buyerVista represented the seller · 2026A manufacturers' representative agency selling hardware products to distributors and retailers.
Manufacturer's Representativehas been acquired byan individual buyerVista represented the seller · 2024A manufacturer's representative serving territories in Florida.