Hydro-Mills Company Acquisition by The Triumph Group, Inc.

Estate sale satisfies goals of buyer and seller...

Valufinder was contacted by the widow of the owner of Hydro-Mills (who had kept our correspondence in his files) who wanted to know if our potential buyer was still interested in the company. Pressed into service due to the death of her husband, the widow had done a tremendous job in improving the company but was now looking to sell in order to diversify her estate and spend more time with her family.

Hydro-Mills is one of the country's leading fabricators of structural aircraft components primarily for the large internal pieces found inside a plane's wings. The company, started in the 1940s, had grown with the aircraft industry and had invested heavily over the years in superior engineering capability and specialized eqipment.

After learning more about the company and the seller's goals, we realized that the original buyer, whose circumstances had changed since the initial contact, might only be marginally interested. Further, the owner did not want a large auction but wanted to speak to a small group of qualified buyers who had industry expertise, the financial resources to complete the deal, and finally would take care of her people. With the seller's approval, Valufinder then performed a thorough search of both strategic and financial buyers and was able to identify a select group of buyers who not only met the owner's criteria but also were eager to do a deal in this market segment.

I had already started the process to sell my company when Valufinder introduced me to one of their clients, the Triumph Group. Valufinder quickly arranged for the exchange of materials and made sure my information got into the hands of the buyer's president, the ultimate decision maker. Valufinder then assisted both sides in moving the deal forward and reaching a successful closing. Gloria Coppin
Chairwoman (retired)
The Hydro-Mill Company

Since the owner was already in discussions with other buyers, Valufinder quickly prepared a preliminary information package for the buyers that highlighted Hydro-Mills' strengths and opportunities. We assisted in the exchange of documents, information, and facilitated discussions. A number of these buyers made handsome offers.

The owner selected Valufinder's client, the Triumph Group, a publicly traded company. Triumph is a diversified manufacturer of aircraft component parts and had grown both by internal growth and careful acquisitions. Triumph was looking to further diversify into aircraft structural components and determined that Hydro-Mill offered unique manufacturing capabilities and deeper penetration into this market. Valufinder initiated this transaction with carefully selected buyers, and helped to facilitate the process up to and through the closing.

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