Since our founding in 2015, Confluent Holdings has been buying and building great companies
For Our Customers, For Our Employees and For Our Community
Products Shipped
Customers Served
Acquisitions Completed
Overview
Confluent Holdings is a holding company based in St. Louis, Missouri, that acquires and builds leading small and medium sized businesses throughout the United States. Above all else, we are dedicated to our following guiding principles:
- Operating at the highest level of integrity in all aspects of business and management;
- Creating long-term value for all of our constituents, principally by building each acquired business through organic and acquisitive growth;
- Contributing to the development of the communities in which our businesses operate, and;
- Building upon the legacy of each acquired company’s former owner.
Unlike individual investors, we have the resources, capital, contacts, performance improvement systems and experience to efficiently and effectively acquire, build and manage businesses. Unlike traditional private equity firms, Confluent exists to serve a variety of constituents, including employees, customers and suppliers, and founders and former business owners. Our investment horizon is indefinite, so we do not acquire businesses with the intention of quickly reselling them; rather, we invest in our businesses to facilitate stable, long-term growth.
Corporate History
2015
Confluent Holdings is established as a holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Confluent closed its first acquisition, Tru-Cut Steel Rule Die Inc., based in Salt Lake City, Utah, in September 2015.
2016
Confluent closed an oversubscribed Series A round of financing with over 30 investors from across the US, and closed its acquisition of Gemini Industries. The Tru-Cut business is moved to a larger facility in Salt Lake City to better serve its customers.
2017
Confluent closed its acquisitions of Trade Print Finishing and F&H Ribbon Company. Jason Saghir joins Confluent as its Chief Operating Officer.
2018
Confluent closed its acquisition of the Oasis Die Company. F&H Ribbon Company is moved from Dallas, Texas to Roxana, Illinois. Steve Ehlert joins Gemini Industries as its new General Manager.
2019
Confluent closed its acquisitions of Accuzona Steel Rule Die in Phoenix, AZ and TK-Cups Sorg’s in Fitchburg, MA.
2020
Retooled production lines, and developed and manufactured over 4,000,000 filters, masks and related personal protective equipment for essential and front-line workers in response to COVID-19.
2021
Confluent closed four acquisitions, including Larkin Industries in St. Paul, MN, Sharples Die in North Attleborough, MA, and ProRose in Stamford, CT. Brian Kearins joined DFC Manufacturing Group, LLC as its new National General Manager. Relocated Oasis Die Company and Accuzona Steel Rule Dies to a larger facility in Phoenix, AZ.
2022
Confluent closed four acquisitions, including Drum-Line in Stuttgart, AR, StrombergBrand Umbrellas in Valley Cottage, NY, Converting Technology, Inc. with locations in Elk Grove, IL, Greensboro, NC, and Elkhart, IN, and Converting Technology Engraving, Inc. in Elk Grove, IL.
Senior Leadership
Confluent’s senior leadership team has over 45 years of collective experience partnering with employees to invest in and build leading businesses. These businesses, which participated in a variety of manufacturing and service industries, ranged in size from small, family-owned businesses with less than $1.0 million of revenue to Fortune 500 companies with more than $10.0 billion of revenue. Additionally, the senior leadership of Confluent has successfully developed and implemented a variety of performance improvement initiatives in a wide range of industries. These initiatives, which span from revenue enhancement and pricing optimization to complexity reduction and cost management, have enabled businesses to thrive in even the most difficult of times.
In addition to Confluent’s senior leadership team and support staff, our businesses are led by executive teams with decades of experience in a variety of industries and functions. They share in our commitment to long-term growth and they are equally dedicated to our guiding principles.
Our Investors
Confluent’s investors are comprised of an accomplished group of more than fifty people from across the United States. They share our passion for strengthening the backbone of the US economy by building small businesses, and they are among our country’s most successful entrepreneurs, investors and business executives, many of whom have built and taken their own companies public or sold them to leading private equity firms. Confluent’s investors are much more than a source of passive capital. Their integrity, knowledge and experience are an integral part of Confluent, and our successes are due in large part to their contributions.
Investment Strategy
Our investment strategy is simple: we are focused on acquiring and building small and medium sized US-based manufacturing and service businesses with a long history of stable revenue and cash flow. We do not acquire businesses with the intent of quickly reselling them or managing them for short-term gains; rather, we want to acquire the types of businesses that we can own and continue to grow over years and decades. Although not a requirement, we typically prioritize those opportunities that meet most of the following investment criteria.
Company Characteristics:
Company Characteristics:
- Long-tenured and diverse base of customers and suppliers
- Track-record of relatively stable revenue and earnings
- Acquisitive and organic growth potential
- Limited capital intensity
- No material litigations or environmental liabilities
- Low employee turnover
Financial Profile:
Financial Profile:
- $25.0 million or less of annual revenue
- $1.0 million or more of annual earnings (no minimum for add-ons)
Priority Industries:
Priority Industries:
- Specialized Manufacturing
- Value-Added Services
Transaction Types:
Transaction Types:
- Buyouts
- Recapitalizations
- Leadership transitions
- Corporate carve-outs
- Family successions
Geography:
Geography:
- United States
Our Process
Confluent partners with intermediaries and business owners to assess, acquire and integrate new businesses into the Confluent family of companies. This highly efficient acquisition and integration system has been used by Confluent since inception and our approach enables us to effectively prioritize and streamline due diligence, while facilitating a more efficient and predictable closing process. Although each acquisition is unique, listed below is an illustrative summary of activities that are often included in our process (we provide each business owner and advisor with a customized, detailed timeline and list of activities when we begin our due diligence)
Process Stage
Illustrative Timing
Representative Activities
Preliminary Assessment:
1 – 2 weeks
- Non-disclosure agreements are executed and limited confidential information is exchanged and evaluated
- Confluent will visit the business, supplemented by discussions with the business owners and/or their advisors about the company and the owners’ objectives
Due Diligence:
2 – 4 weeks
- Confluent will submit a letter of intent to acquire the business and, once signed by all parties, Confluent will continue its due diligence under a brief period of exclusivity
- Confluent and our advisors will request a comprehensive set of information about the business so that we can complete our due diligence and start drafting the purchase agreement
Transaction Activity:
1 – 2 weeks
- Confluent will draft the purchase agreement and any required ancillary documentation (e.g., a new lease)
- Business owners and their advisors will provide wire instructions required for the closing
- The agreements are executed by all parties and the funds are transferred
Post-Closing Activities:
1 – 4 weeks
- Group and individual meetings with all of the employees
- A press release is issued and calls or meetings are held with many of the customers and vendors
Testimonials
“When my brother and I decided to sell the business that we had started together almost 40 years ago, it was a very difficult decision for us. We wanted to make sure that the buyer would continue to grow the business and that they would take care of our employees, many of whom were like family. Thankfully, we were introduced to Confluent Holdings and they have been great partners from day one. Not only did they close the acquisition on time and as promised, but they were always very respectful of our limited time during due diligence. Whenever questions arose during the sale process, they always sought a fair resolution and were quick to efficiently work through any problems. Since they’ve owned the company, Confluent has made significant investments in the business and our employees, who Confluent continues to treat like family. I’m excited to watch our business grow to new heights, and I’m thrilled to know that Confluent will preserve the family values that we instilled in the company when we founded it decades ago.”
-Founder & Former Business Owner“Confluent Holdings is one of the best buyers I have ever worked with in over twenty years of business brokerage. The closing terms were consistent with the initial Letter of Interest. The closing occurred within the time established at the outset. They were always available to discuss issues that arose, and always sought a fair resolution to those issues. I would love to work with Confluent Holdings on other deals in the future.”
-Business Broker“When we decided to sell the business that had been in our family for 62 years it was important to us to find a buyer who we believed would be fair and honest to us and would also treat our employees well. We found what we were looking for in Confluent Holdings. They handled all aspects of the deal honestly and professionally, and they were always available to discuss any questions or concerns we had. The final contract followed the LOI and there were no surprises for us or the employees. I would not hesitate to recommend Confluent Holdings to other owners who are looking for an experienced and honest company to invest in their companies.”
-Former Business Owner“As one of the business brokers involved in the sale of my client’s business, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the positive approach Confluent Holdings took to successfully complete this transaction. Confluent invested the time to clearly understand the dynamics of the family business and the individual objectives of each owner. This resulted in a purchase transaction that was structured to meet or exceed all of the expectations regarding purchase price, scope, terms, close date, and post-close management responsibilities/outcomes for each owner. The transaction moved through the various stages smoothly and efficiently with no surprises. Confluent’s due diligence was thorough but not overly burdensome to the owners. The fairly aggressive target close date was met. Confluent operated with the highest level of integrity. They kept their promises, worked through issues in a fair and reasonable manner, and maintained open and frequent communications with the sellers as well as our firm. Commitments to our firm were fulfilled as agreed upon. I would be very pleased to work with Confluent Holdings in the future and would recommend them as a strong and very solid purchaser to business owners and other intermediaries.”
-Business Broker“It’s hard to believe it’s been just over a year now since I sold my third-generation family business to Confluent Holdings. It was an emotionally-charged decision to finally sell the family business that my grandfather started some 60 years earlier. The good news is that after the difficult decision to sell was made, I was blessed to find what I consider to be an ideal buyer for my business. I found out about Confluent Holdings through a long-time friend and supplier/customer; he had recently sold his business to them and when I drilled him about his experience, he had nothing but good things to say about his experience with them. I quickly asked him for their contact information and as the saying goes “the rest is history”. From the first meeting with Confluent Holdings to this date, the buy-sell process has gone as planned. Maybe it was luck or maybe destiny, but I am glad I found Confluent Holdings and that they were interested enough in my business to make me a reasonable offer. Throughout the entire process they were very professional and fair with me and I highly recommend them.”
-Former Business Owner“My sister and I were very apprehensive at first about the prospect of selling our family business but the new owners at Confluent Holdings made the transition period smoother than anticipated. They went above and beyond what was promised and helped make our journey to retirement a more pleasant experience. But above all else, and most importantly, they treated our employees with compassion and fairness.”
-Former Business Owner“Confluent Holdings recently approached our firm about acquiring one of the businesses we represented. Although there were several local buyers, we decided to go with Confluent and we were not disappointed. The acquisition closed on time and at the original price and terms we agreed to. Additionally, Confluent was up front about their intentions to relocate the company after the acquisition closed. We were skeptical that they could move the business 700 miles in a relatively short period of time, but they did so as promised and managed to preserve goodwill with the sellers and take care of the employees along the way. Gladly, the sellers were happy that we chose Confluent and I hope that I will have the opportunity to work with them again.”
-Business Broker