ACTIVE
INVESTMENTS
Orleans Group International
Business
Description: Orleans Group is a leading importer and distributor of cigars, cigar accessories, and other related products.
The Company works with suppliers around the globe to design and produce the industry's broadest product line. Customers of the Company
range from local mom-and-pop retailers to large multi-national distributors.
Products: Cigars, humidors, cutters, travel cases, and other related products.
Website: www.orleansgroup.com
Seller's Needs:
Liquidity to pursue other interests;
New management team to replace the shareholders.
Investment Thesis:
Update product line through product development and product line acquisitions to fill in critical gaps;
Integrate more deeply with key industry players to better meet their needs;
Enter new product markets.
Solutions:
Complete two product line acquisitions subsequent to the original investment;
Deploy technology and restructure certain back-office processes to dramatically increase responsiveness to changing customer needs and market dynamics;
Provide resources to expand into tangential product markets.
Don Salvatore
Business
Description: Don Salvatore is one of the most recognizable cigar accessories brands in the market. The Company focuses on serving high-end cigar retailers across the U.S. Don Salvatore's signature products blend high quality components and unique features/designs unavailable in other brands.
Products: Cigar humidors, cases, cutters, and other accessories.
Website: www.donsalvatore.net
Seller's Needs:
The corporate parent sought to spin out this division to focus on its unrelated primary business;
Liquidity to support its core assets;
Certainty of close.
Investment Thesis:
Invest in additional inventory to better meet customer demand;
Expand distribution network;
Broaden the range of branded offerings.
Solutions:
Completed due diligence and all documentation in 30 days;
Filled in gaps within the brand's existing product line to meet underserved customer needs.
Cigar Classics
Business
Description: Cigar Classics is a leading manufacturer of premium cigar accessories.
Products: Premium cigar cases, travel humidors, and Paradigm humidification devices for use in cigar humidors.
Website: www.cigarclassics.com
Seller's Needs:
Liquidity to pursue other interests;
Certainty of close.
Investment Thesis:
Add additional distribution channels;
Expand the Company's primary brands into new markets.
Solutions:
Leverage industry relationships to significantly increase the number of outlets carrying the Company's products;
Optimize production processes to more readily adapt to customer needs.
FORMER
INVESTMENTS
Winslow
Life Raft
Business Description:
Winslow Liferaft is the leading producer of life rafts
s in the marine, and corporate aviation markets and service
provider for aircraft slides
Products and services:
Life rafts and the service of life rafts and aircraft
slides
Website: www.winslowliferaft.com
Seller's Needs:
Transition the Company to its current management team;
Realize
liquidity for estate purposes;
Support
the expansion into new markets.
Investment Thesis:
Build
on the leading market position of the Company;
Expand
into new market segments;
Add
additional distribution channels;
Enter
new product markets;
Capitalize
on the installed base for service.
Solutions:
Provide
an all cash transaction;
Enable
the current shareholders to participate in future growth;
Provide
equity for management as a valued partner;
Provide
tools for expansion.
Overwraps
Packaging
Business
Description: Overwraps is a converter of flexible
plastic film used for food, medical and industrial packaging
applications. The Company's value proposition is to provide
turn key solutions for short run, quick turnaround, laminated
packaging of up to eight colors.
Products: Company
converts flexible film products such as potato chip bags,
coffee bags, medical surgical masks and cookie packaging
Website: www.overwraps.com
Seller's Needs:
The
founder desired liquidity for estate purposes;
Retire
two years after the transaction;
Fund
a $2.0 million capital expansion to maintain a customer.
Investment Thesis:
Deploy
new printing assets;
Build
on the Company's strong reputation for quality and service;
Recruit
a new CEO and build a management team;
Use
technology to increase profitability.
Solutions:
Provide
an all cash transaction;
Fund
the entire transaction without bank debt;
Fund
a new $2.0 million press at closing;
Recruit
a CEO from an industry leading company.
Sterling
Foods, Inc.
Business
Description: Sterling Foods is the leading
innovator and supplier of "shelf stable" bakery
products for government and commercial markets.
Products: Cookies,
brownies, bread, pretzels and other baked goods that last
up to four years.
Website: www.sterlingfoodsusa.com
Seller's Needs:
Liquidity
for estate purposes;
Retire
immediately.
Investment Thesis:
Leverage
government business to expand into commercial markets;
Fund
R&D to create value added products.
Solutions:
Purchase
price in excess of other purchasers;
Recruitment
of new CEO;
Backing
current and incoming management in ownership.
The
Lofland Company
Business
Description: Lofland is one of North America's
largest independent fabricators of reinforcing steel ("rebar")
and a significant distributor of other miscellaneous construction
related products ("CRP's").
Website: www.loflandcompany.com
Seller's Needs:
Liquidity
on investment;
Confidence
of close.
Investment Thesis:
Expand
the geographic base of operations through acquisition
of contiguous territories;
Capitalize
on government transportation funding.
Solutions:
Provide
for adequate funding of acquisitions;
Provide
acquisition expertise.