Industrial Coding & Packaging Solutions - 102-Year-Old Distributor

$2.6M

Revenue

$770K

SDE

2.0x

Multiple

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Full Editorial Writeup

• 100+ Year Operating History with established reputation • Essential, Non-Discretionary Products tied to manufacturing operations • Recurring Revenue Components through service and consumables •... Businesses Franchises Brokers Loading... Industrial Coding & Packaging Solutions Company Listing ID: N-1054 Wisconsin Asking Price:$1,566,000 Cash Flow (SDE):$770,192 EBITDA:Not Disclosed Gross Revenue:$2,591,427 Real Estate:$750,000* Established:Not Disclosed *not included in asking price. Industrial Coding & Packaging Solutions Company Listing ID: N-1054 Business Description 100+ Year Operating History Listing ID: N-1054 • 100+ Year Operating History with established reputation• Essential, Non-Discretionary Products tied to manufacturing operations• Recurring Revenue Components through service and consumables• Diverse Customer Base across multiple industries• Strong Vendor Relationships and recognized distributor status• Technical Service Infrastructure supporting long-term customer retentionThis opportunity represents the acquisition of a long-established provider of industrial product coding, labeling, and packaging solutions serving manufacturers across a multi-state Midwest region. The business operates within a specialized niche, supplying equipment that is integrated directly into customer production lines and supported by ongoing service, parts, and consumables.The Company has built a strong reputation over decades for reliability and technical expertise, supporting a diverse customer base across food and beverage, industrial manufacturing, and consumer products. Revenue is generated through a balanced mix of equipment sales and recurring service and supply needs, creating consistent customer engagement tied to mission-critical operations.Operations are supported by trained technicians, established vendor relationships, and an installed base of equipment across the region. The business benefits from repeat customers, service-driven revenue, and a model that supports long-term relationships rather than one-time transactions.Mark KuetherSunbelt Business Advisors262-227-7850mkuether@sunbeltwi.com Ad#:2510936 Business Location Real Estate: Owned Not included in asking price Listing Statistics Saved This Listing Listing Last Updated Appeared in Search Listing Detail Views BizBuySell EDGE Know the True Market Value Before You Make an Offer Get valuation data to negotiate with confidence. Get a Valuation Report Business Listed By: Sunbelt Business Advisors Wisconsin Sunbelt Business Brokers View My Listings Phone Number 262-379-3428 Voice only (no SMS) Memberships & Certifications: Ad#:2510936 The information in this listing has been provided by the business seller or representative stated above. BizBuySell has no stake in the sale of this business, has not independently verified any of the information about the business, and assumes no responsibility for its accuracy or completeness. Read BizBuySell's Terms of Use before responding to any ad. Learn how to avoid scams. Contact Form Full Name* Enter a valid Full Name Phone Number* Enter Phone Number Email Address* Enter Email Address Zip Code Optional Message Yes, send me the Buyer Newsletter for popular businesses, tips, & email promotions. Optional: Check if you want to use IRA/401k funds ($75K+) to buy a biz - Guidant will call Send Message By clicking the button, you agree to BizBuySell’s Terms of Use and Privacy Notice Business Listed By: Ed Krajcir Sunbelt Business Brokers View My Listings Phone Number 262-379-3428 Voice only (no SMS) Your request has been sent. What Happens Next? is reviewing your details. A representative will reach out soon to discuss your options. Expect a response in 1-2 business days. 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Why we like it

Earnings quality is strong with a 30% cash flow margin on $2.59M revenue, generating $770K SDE at just a 2.03x multiple. That implies a roughly 49% cash-on-cash yield before debt service, which is rare for a business with this kind of operating history and recurring revenue.
The moat is real and structural. Coding and labeling equipment integrates directly into customer production lines, which creates high switching costs, and once installed the company captures recurring consumables and service revenue from an installed base it built over a century.
The products are genuinely non-discretionary. Manufacturers must code, date, and label product to ship it, so this spend survives downturns. A diverse customer base across food and beverage, industrial, and consumer products further insulates revenue from any single end-market shock.
A 102-year operating history with recognized distributor status and trained technicians is an enormous trust and relationship asset. Customers do not casually switch a vendor that keeps their lines running, which explains the repeat-customer, service-driven model.

How to improve it

Quantify and grow the recurring consumables and service base. In the first 90 days, segment revenue into one-time equipment sales versus recurring parts and service, then push service contracts and consumable auto-replenishment to convert transactional customers into subscription-like accounts.
Layer in a structured preventive maintenance program. Selling annual PM agreements on the installed base smooths revenue, increases technician utilization, and gives the team early visibility into equipment replacement cycles before competitors get a shot.
Build a CRM-driven outreach engine across the installed base. A century of equipment placements is sitting in the field with no systematic upsell or refresh cadence, so disciplined account management can drive consumable attach rates and equipment upgrades.
Expand the geographic footprint within the Midwest. The business already has distributor status and a technical service infrastructure, so adding technicians and a sales rep in adjacent territories leverages existing vendor relationships without rebuilding the model.
Add pricing discipline on consumables and parts. Many decades-old distributors under-price recurring supplies relative to the switching cost they enjoy, so a modest, structured price increase on consumables flows almost entirely to the bottom line.
Pursue tuck-in acquisitions of smaller regional coding or packaging distributors. The fragmented nature of this niche and the company's recognized status make it a credible consolidator, and bolt-ons add installed base and service revenue at attractive multiples.

Diligence notes

Break down the equipment-sales versus recurring-revenue mix precisely. The listing claims recurring components but does not size them, and the durability of the 2.03x multiple depends heavily on how much of the $2.59M is sticky consumables and service versus lumpy equipment orders.
Examine customer concentration across the diverse base. Industrial distribution often hides a few large accounts driving most volume, so request a revenue-by-customer breakdown for the last three years and confirm no single customer exceeds a comfortable threshold.
Assess vendor and distributor agreement transferability. The business relies on recognized distributor status and strong vendor relationships, so confirm those agreements survive a change of ownership and are not personal to the current owner.
Evaluate the technician workforce and key-man risk. Technical service infrastructure is the backbone of retention, so understand the tenure, certifications, and replaceability of the trained technicians and whether the owner personally holds critical technical or customer relationships.
Clarify the real estate situation and rent assumptions. The owned building is excluded from the $1.566M ask but offered at $750K, so model a market-rate lease into go-forward earnings and decide whether buying the property changes the deal economics.
Verify the cash flow figure and normalize add-backs. At a 30% margin the SDE looks healthy, but confirm the $770K reflects sustainable earnings after reasonable owner compensation and that one-time or non-operating items are properly excluded.

Source

Originally listed on BizBuySell. View original listing →