From years of experience, we have developed an investment strategy built around sector focus and specific investment criteria. When we make an investment, we provide substantial strategic, operational and financial resources to the business to help assure its future success. Sector Focus SFW invests only in businesses where our knowledge of the relevant technology, science, competitive marketplace and service requirements gives us confidence in our ability to assist management teams in growing their companies and building value. We focus our investment activity on businesses that provide analytical tools or related outsourced analytical services. This includes the instruments, software and information, and related outsourced services that are involved in research, engineering, product development, quality control, diagnostics, process monitoring, marketing or other critical decision-making processes within companies. These businesses are prevalent within technically driven markets such as pharmaceutical or medical research and in industries where regulation and standards play a significant role such as energy, utilities and food processing, among others. Some of the specific segments that we target include: Investment Criteria SFW typically invests from $15 to $75 million of equity in each company. We invest in established businesses (including family businesses, public and private companies and corporate division carve-outs) where there is some history of profitability and where the company has a solid market position in its core markets.We look for situations where we can apply our resources to increase the growth of the company or where we can help drive improvements in the quality, efficiency and profitability of operations. We are willing to pursue investments with significant structural or operational complexity and have done so successfully in the past. Resources Our deep understanding and extensive experience with analytical tools and outsourced analytical service businesses allows us to contribute well informed, relevant expertise to each company. Over the past 15 years, we have worked closely with the management teams of some of the most successful companies in these sectors to develop growth strategies, improve operations and identify high potential add-on acquisitions. We have a broad network of sector-specific relationships, which provide the companies in which we invest resources that they would not have as stand-alone businesses. We also enjoy excellent relationships in the financial community and have completed numerous complex debt and equity financings.We currently manage over $300 million in equity capital. Our investors include endowments, foundations, family investment offices and financial institutions. Several of these investors have active co-invest and debt programs which provide significant additional resources for larger investments. |
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