Can I Retire From My Manufacturing Company Before The End Of 2016?

As a manufacturing mergers & acquisitions specialist selling nationally, the second most frequent question I’m asked (after, “what is my business worth") is how long will it take to sell. The answer changes constantly depending on market conditions.

Recently, however, we’ve seen the time frame in which it takes us to conclude a transaction shortening. For manufacturing companies between $3-$30 million the average time frame from listing to closing is 6-8 months decreased from 8-12 months on average last year.

Of course, these are generalities and are likely to apply to business owners that are prepared for selling their business by having certain documents in order including:

• 3 years of tax returns
• 3 years of financial statements
• Sales by sector
• Sales by customer
• Organizational chart
• Documented operations systems
• Sales & quoting systems that don’t rely on owner involvement

If a Seller is prepared, it is entirely possible to conclude the sale of a business before the end of 2016. Imagine ringing in the 2017 New Year knowing your retirement is secure!