Rock LaManna03.11.13
What private equity investors will be at the forum, and on what industries will they be focusing? I’m curious to find out.
Some investors might read AWA’s Corey Reardon’s assessment of single-digit growth in the label market, and move on to the next industry. But for the smart investors, they’ll be looking for synergistic opportunities. They might just be looking for someone like you.
An M&A can result in explosive growth for a business. It’s a way for you to find a complementary company that can help you (among other things) access new markets, add new capabilities, and expand your overall capacity. Companies like Vomela and 3M have built empires through mergers and acquisitions, and it can work for you, too. But to pursue an M&A, you must possess the following characteristics:
• You’re willing to follow the lead of highly successful companies. 3M partners with innovative, emerging companies to keep them at the head of the game. Can you scale a similar approach to your own business?
• You’re willing to share people, liabilities, and success. Entering into a win-win situation with another business also means you are willing to extend yourself in terms of liabilities.
• You are focused on the long-term. Knowing what you need to win in the long run, you’re willing to share your piece of the pie so you can reach those long-term objectives.
• You realize this is a global economy. This big world has become much smaller, thanks to technology. You’re no longer going to be competing against fellow printers in your neighborhood. The digital era means your competition has now become global. Can you partner with other businesses to prepare yourself for the new age?
At the Forum, my presentation will be entitled “Finding the Synergistic Seller in the Printing Industry,” and I’ll be touting companies in the label and narrow web sector who fit this bill. Let me know if you’d like your story added to the list.