Southeast Instrument Manufacturer Sold at Full $313K Asking Price
Rachel Horner
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3 min read
About the Business
Industry: Industrial Manufacturing – Process-Control Instrumentation
Location: Southeast
Size: $500K–$750K in annual revenue, run day-to-day by a long-tenured team
Sale price: $313,000 (asking price: $313,000)
Listing to signed LOI: 116 days
Signed LOI to close: 50 days
The Challenge: A Lease Deadline and a Product Line Worth Saving
For decades, this small manufacturer sold process-control instruments worldwide, and the owner was ready to retire just as the facility lease came due. Her priority was finding a buyer who would keep the products available to the customers who relied on them, because otherwise winding down was a real possibility.
Sold at Full Price: How Baton Got a Niche Manufacturer to the Finish Line
What happened at every stage
Valuation: Baton priced the business at $313,000, about 2.7 times cash flow.
Buyer Outreach: 207 buyers viewed the listing and 96 opened the data room. The owner met with 11 of those buyers.
Offer Selection and Negotiation Support: Six letters of intent came down to a full-price offer that depended on SBA financing and a $275,000 all-cash offer. The Baton advisor gave the SBA buyer a firm deadline to confirm financing, and the owner signed the full-price LOI the next day.
Diligence and Closing Support: When the lender stalled closing over the business’s tax records, the advisor ran an all-hands call that cut the open items to four, and the lender cleared the condition three days later. The deal closed one day before new SBA rules took effect.
“They were honest, professional and committed to getting the deal done right away. [Our advisor] worked incredibly hard, kept everyone on task, and consistently moved the process forward.”
The Results
The buyer is a career manufacturing professional who runs the company hands-on, from operations to engineering. Through Baton’s deadline-driven process, the business:
Sold for $313,000, 100% of its asking price
Went from signed LOI to close in 50 days
Closed as an asset sale with $281,700 in cash at closing through an SBA 7(a) loan and a $31,300 seller note, with inventory purchased separately at closing
What’s next for the owner?
A long-time manager guided the three-month transition, and the owner is now retired, knowing the product line still ships to its customers.
Advice and Lessons for Future Sellers
A full-price offer only counts if it closes. A firm financing deadline turned an uncertain offer into a signed deal.
Keep a backup in view. A credible cash offer gave the owner leverage and a safety net.
Get your records in order early. Have your tax records ready before a lender asks, since most closing delays come from paperwork.