An outcome of a Corporate Growth Strategy could be a plan to expand or diversify one or
more Strategic Business Units. The Winbridge Group, Inc. uses
client team workshops to identify opportunities for acquisitions, joint ventures or
strategic partnerships that match the company's goals and objectives, resources and
capabilities. Workshops allow us to assist our clients to:
set realistic, internally consistent goals and objectives for acquisitions, joint
ventures and/or strategic partnerships;
develop a useful set of criteria for evaluating opportunities;
creatively examine in an iterative process the client's environment, resources,
capabilities and technology base to identify opportunities;
profile and screen opportunities thoroughly;
develop an imaginative approach and implementation strategy and plan;
implement the plan effectively and efficiently.
As a result of many years of experience in working with clients to accomplish such
programs, the Winbridge team has identified the major barriers that
clients encounter during the implementation program. We have developed ways to
avoid or overcome the barriers and increase significantly the chances for success.
Key Benefits
Our long-term experience in working with numerous companies
to accomplish opportunity identification and implementation;
Our creative process and proprietary techniques give the necessary
tools to our client management team to sort and identify opportunities;
Our Workshop Approach provides the environment for quick, effective
decision making;
Our Market Research capability provides critical information that is
not available in-house on industries, companies and opportunities;
Our Implementation System assures that the opportunities identified
culminate in deals.
Capabilities
Professional Team
While searching for acquisitions, joint ventures or strategic partners, it is critical
to have a team of professionals who have experience in the process; and knowledge of the
players in the industries of interest. Winbridge is composed of a group of
professionals who are highly experienced in working with clients on these types of
engagements. Most of our staff have advanced degrees in business, science and/or
engineering. We know the processes that work and the pitfalls. Our teams
are also skilled in a wide range of industries, technologies and/or functions and bring
these qualities to the client team. Some of the industries we cover include
instrumentation, chemical manufacturing equipment, machine tools, pumps, valves, controls,
precision molded rubber parts, industrial and medical lasers, aerospace/defense systems
and components, weighing systems and components, plumbing fixtures, foundry equipment,
electronic components, laboratory equipment, etc. We have expertise in automation,
manufacturing systems, chemical manufacturing, lasers, rubber/plastic manufacturing and
materials.
Workshop Approach
Winbridge workshops are designed to stimulate a creative environment. We believe
that a well founded search evolves out of a group which has all of the information it
needs and creative environment in which to develop and implement the search. Our
market research and analytical techniques contribute the necessary information. Our
creative process, as implemented by our experienced professionals in our workshops,
provides the creative environment. All of this is done in a small number of
intensive workshops. At the conclusion of the sessions, the team has identified
candidate companies that make sense; and are willing to discuss some form of transaction.
Creative Process and Techniques
Over the years, The Winbridge Group, Inc. has evolved a process to help
a top management team quickly and efficiently set goals and objectives and develop a
useful set of criteria for evaluating opportunities. We work with the management
team to understand better their resources and capabilities and the implications for fit
with a particular Partner. Finding attractive candidates willing to discuss some
form of partnership, including acquisition, is not always easy. Winbridge is skilled
at "selling" our clients to potentially reluctant candidates and bringing them
to the table to start negotiations.
Market Research
At various points in the search process, it is critical to bring in information about
industries and companies that may not be readily available. During our workshop
process we identify this missing information and then put together a program to obtain it.
To assist in this regard, Winbridge has a team of experienced
market researchers who are skilled in conducting personal and telephone interviews with
high level professionals. Most of the information is available from key industry
sources. We interview these people either over the telephone or in person.
Occasionally, we will conduct broader based interviews using a variety of
techniques form Focus Groups, to Mail Surveys to large scale telephone surveys.
Implementation System
Many companies have found over the years that their partnering programs to not result in
deals. We have worked with some our clients and evolved an implementation process
that helps to overcome this problem. It involves the use of a dedicated Strategic
Control Center, brief periodic meetings in which specific actions are planned,
follow up meetings to check progress and plan additional actions. Computer based
programs have also been used in a supplementary way to facilitate the process.
