To preserve the time and hard work spent on developing a company culture, really take the time to ensure whoever the business is sold to is committed to preserving it.
As a retirement plan, an ESOP won’t maximize the sale price of an HVAC company. But for owners looking to carry on their legacy, it will keep the company intact and reward loyal employees who helped them build it.
While many HVAC companies are prepared for booming growth and expansion these days, others within the industry may be in a better position to consider market consolidation instead.
While growth may be the case for a number of HVAC businesses, it’s not necessarily the future of every one. In fact, some of them are best positioned for market consolidation.
You will be asked tough questions when you decide to sell your business. Trying to piece together the answers in haste will only show weaknesses and reduce the perceived value.
In the 1990s, consolidation swept across the HVAC industry. Contractors were rolled up into large publicly traded companies like American Residential Services, Group Maintenance America Corp., Service Experts, and the utility-owned Blue Dot.
Regardless which path an owner picks, his or her exit will likely be the largest transaction he or she will ever conduct — one that should be handled with extreme care. Here are some tips from a group of advisors who are well-versed in helping HVACR distributors make crucial business decisions, including exit planning.