Subscribe to Smart Business Dealmakers
September 17, 2024
Indian Firm Buys Fluvitex USA
India's Indo Count Industries has acquired an 81 percent stake in Groveport-based Fluvitex USA, a manufacturer of pillows and quilts owned by Spain's Masias Invest....
By Dealmakers Staff
October 20, 2023
Steve Ball On Growing Zesty Paws Ahead Of Its $610M Sale
Steve Ball, the former CEO and board member of Zesty Paws, helped lead the pet supplements company to extraordinary growth that eventually led to its sale to Health & Happiness (H&H) Group...
By Adam Burroughs
June 23, 2023
Exiting Is A Juggling Act For Owners
After a stint practicing law, Ron Cundy decided, during the depths of the Great Recession, to start a company. He and a partner launched recteq, a business that made grills, but couldn't get a product...
By Adam Burroughs
March 10, 2023
Data, Transparency Play Large Roles In A Deal
Highwood USA CEO and Founder John Quarmley talks through the company's recent sale process....
By Adam Burroughs
August 12, 2022
Engineered From Personal Need, Nollapelli Is Ready To Grow
Nollapelli founder Allison Howard talks with the Smart Business Dealmakers Podcast about how she created Nollapelli and prepared the company for early-stage investing. ...
By Dan Pender
July 11, 2022
Oldcastle Closes Acquisition of Barrette Outdoor Living
Oldcastle APG has completed its $1.9 billion acquisition of Middleburg Heights-based Barrette Outdoor Living, a manufacturer of fencing, railing, outdoor accents and related products....
By Michael Marzec
March 5, 2020
Robert Levin Makes Deal To Save Levin Furniture From Closing
Levin has reached an agreement to acquire the Pennsylvania and Ohio assets of Levin Furniture and Wolf Furniture through a court restructuring of the parent company Art Van Furniture LLC....
By Mark Scott
February 6, 2020
Sherwin-Williams To Build New Global HQ In Downtown Cleveland
Preliminary plans call for Sherwin-Williams to invest a minimum of $600 million to build new HQ, as well as a new R&D Center in Brecksville....
By Mark Scott
January 21, 2020
Reynolds Consumer Products Sets IPO Terms
The company has applied to list its shares of common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “REYN.”...
By Mark Scott
December 24, 2019
Culligan Buying AquaVenture Holdings for $1.1B
AquaVenture offers point-of-use filtered water systems and related services, as well as desalination and wastewater treatment products to governmental, municipal, industrial and hospitality customers....
By Michael Marzec
December 17, 2019
Frontenac Completes Sale Of Liquid Technologies
Founded in 1998, Chino, California-based Liquid Technologies is a contract formulator and manufacturer of high-end professional hair and skin care products....
By Mark Scott
December 4, 2019
Pondera Holdings Leads $31M AutoPets Recap
The investment is intended to accelerate the company's growth, as well as provide a liquidity event to the founders of the business....
By Mark Scott
November 6, 2019
Riverside-Backed SureWerx Buys Sure Foot
Sure Foot, the company behind the Due North® brand, offers a comprehensive portfolio of multi-purpose footwear traction aid products....
By Mark Scott
November 5, 2019
Matt Kaulig: The Path From Risky Move To Smart Play
The founder of LeafFilter explores the mindset of entrepreneurs and dealmakers when it comes to taking risks....
By Matt Kaulig
November 4, 2019
Cell Phone Repair Sold To Assurant
Assurant acquired CPR from a subsidiary of Independence-based investment firm Merrymeeting Group and a third party....
By Mark Scott
September 26, 2019
How Ted Karkus sold Cold-EEZE for $50 million
ProPhase Labs CEO Ted Karkus shares the strategy behind the 2017 sale of Cold-EEZE to Mylan for $50 million....
By Adam Burroughs
September 24, 2019
RhinoSystems, maker of Navage, raises $10.4M
RhinoSystems, Inc, the Brooklyn-Heights-based company responsible for Navage, has raised $10.04 million in angel funding from undisclosed investors....
By Adam Burroughs
September 4, 2019
CORE Industrial Partners Buys Fleco
Fleco will transition its overall corporate name to Saylite. CORE plans to pursue strategic acquisitions with Saylite to extend the company’s product and brand portfolio....
By Mark Scott
August 26, 2019
IMMY Raises $100,000 In Angel Funding
The company manufactures audio and visual headsets which offer virtual augmented reality experiences, typically through playing video games....
By Mark Scott
August 15, 2019
Macedonia’s Sunless bought by Castle Harlan after Riverside exit
Sunless Inc., a Macedonia-based manufacturer and marketer of spray tanning equipment and related accessories, has been acquired by New York private equity firm Castle Harlan Inc. The seller was Cleveland-based private equity firm The Riverside Co....
By Adam Burroughs
July 23, 2019
Selling Your Business: Take Time To Do It Right
Spectrum Diversified Designs founder Sheldon Goodman talks about the process he followed to find the right buyer and the importance of having industry experts in your corner who can guide you to a more informed decision....
By Mark Scott
July 22, 2019
Etsy To Buy Reverb In $275M Deal
Acquiring the leading online marketplace for new, used and vintage musical instruments will enable Etsy to expand into a new vertical with a company that has a similar strategy and business model....
By Mark Scott
June 28, 2019
Michael Araten: When PE backing isn’t about the money
How former K'NEX CEO Michael Araten chose the best private equity partner to back his international expansion — before his business became collateral damage in the Toys 'R' Us bankruptcy and was sold....
By Adam Burroughs
June 21, 2019
Selling an ESOP: How Remington Products Sold To Private Equity
We take an inside look at how CEO Rhonda Newman worked with investment bank Cascade Partners to sell the ESOP company to Gridiron Capital....
By Mark Scott
June 7, 2019
Trevco Acquires California Print-on-demand Company
Trevco works with licensors such as Warner Bros., Hasbro and Paramount Pictures to manufacture consumer products and create digital e-commerce campaigns....
By Mark Scott
June 6, 2019
Braxton Miller learns the Xs and Os of investing
Braxton Miller isn’t just putting time in on a football field these days. He’s turned to business — investing in and endorsing several brands....
By Jayne Gest
May 16, 2019
Jelmar Adds ESPRO Brand To Cleaning Product Portfolio
Jelmar has added to its household cleaning product portfolio with the acquisition of the ESPRO brand of sports cleaning products....
By Mark Scott
April 30, 2019
Riverside invests in Alpha-H
The Cleveland-based private equity firm has invested in the Queensland-based developer and manufacturer of premium skincare products, including the Liquid Gold skincare line....
By Adam Burroughs
April 30, 2019
TriMas buys Taplast, second Italian acquisition in 6 months
The move is the second Italian acquisition in the past six months for the Bloomfield Hills-based company as it seeks to accelerate the growth of its packaging platform....
By Mark Scott
March 20, 2019
Lubrizol expands natural, botanical offerings with acquisition of French supplier
The Lubrizol Corp. has acquired Laboratoire Phenobio, a French supplier of naturally-derived extracts and botanical active ingredients....
By Adam Burroughs
March 1, 2019
Hinkley buys Regency Ceiling Fans
St. Louis-based Regency will join Hinkley Lighting at its headquarters in Avon Lake....
By Michael Marzec
January 8, 2019
Plan your exit before you need it
Ring Beams co-founder David Levine talks about planning your exit, saying no to investors and the risk of feeling dangerous....
By Mark Scott
December 21, 2018
OurPet’s being acquired by Hyper Pet
OurPet’s, a seller of a range of pet supplies, will merge with a newly formed subsidiary of Hyper Pet and become a wholly owned subsidiary of the pet hardgoods and treats company....
By Adam Burroughs
August 17, 2018
Blue Point acquires Next Level Apparel
The acquisition marks the first platform investment for Blue Point IV, the firm’s fourth middle market buyout fund....
By Adam Burroughs
May 25, 2018
Kichler Lighting’s Dave Pamer
Dave Pamer discusses how preparation, delegation and communication can facilitate a smooth transaction....
By Brooke Bilyj
April 6, 2018
J. M. Smucker Co. acquires Rachael Ray Nutrish pet food brand in Ainsworth deal
Deal is to acquire Ainsworth Pet Nutrition LLC for approximately $1.7 billion....
By Adam Burroughs
March 9, 2018
Smucker scraps Wesson deal; may sell baked goods unit
The J. M. Smucker Co. is dropping its chase for Conagra's Wesson oil brand after the Federal Trade Commission challenged the deal....
By Adam Burroughs
February 2, 2018
Chris Quinn: What I learned selling Step2
For InterDesign CEO Chris Quinn, dealmaking is all about trust. “Trust begins the very minute you decide to engage and go through the sale process."...
By Mark Scott
January 12, 2018
Mr. Beams deal has nice Ring to it
Ring acquired Mr. Beams to integrate smart, energy-efficient lights into more of its security devices....
By Mark Scott
December 15, 2017
Yan brothers back on top at TCP
Former CEO Ellis Yan and his brother Solomon are set to buy their former company, TCP International Holdings Ltd., in what should end a tumultuous period for the company and its estranged founder....
By Adam Burroughs
