Jay Sachetti joined Jeff O’Brien, partner at Husch Blackwell and Dyanne Ross-Hanson, president of Exit Planning Strategies talked about the market for mergers and acquisitions, exit planning opportunities for companies that don’t end up for sale and how companies can maximize their eventual sale price during an early October panel at the first Upsize on Tap event at Summit Brewing Co. in St. Paul.
When the state Legislature passed a law requiring employers to provide paid leave and safe time for employees, Justin Bieganek started hearing differing details from friends, colleagues and peers.
INFORMER :: OPERATIONS
“Opportunity and silly optimism” are two reasons behind the growth at AirCorps Mechanical Contractors in Plymouth, says President Maggy Kottman with a laugh.
Since she bought the company about four years ago, revenue is nearing $8.8 million, up from $6.25 million in 2006. The original business is providing commercial heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
They’ve also started a fabrication division under the name Union Curbs, which makes standard and custom curb adapters that maximize rooftop unit airflow efficiency. A promising specialty item is a large rooftop curb that reduces noise in buildings such as theaters and hospitals, Kottman says.
The biggest growth area for the firm, she says, is in outfitting cooling rooms for computers.
“The growth vehicles will be the need for energy efficiency; the regulation surrounding green; and the continued growth of Internet business is a big driver of the computer room cooling,” she says.
The company’s growth runs counter to the slump in the general construction industry. “You kind of trip over these opportunities,” she says. “We are growing bit by bit, so when there are opportunities to expand,” she’ll take a look.
“It’s really weird, because you have these numbers in your head, and I came from a totally different industry. And then you get in there and you really do have to figure things out,” she says.
“You have to be opportunistic. You have to be constantly open to looking at things in a different light.”
Maggy Kottman, AirCorps LLC: 763.231.2721; mk******@***************al.com; www.aircorpmechanical.com
