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Since our founding, Confluent Holdings has been buying and building great companies for our customers, for our associates, and for our community.

600M+

Products Shipped

13,500+

Customers Served

22+

Acquisitions Completed

900+

Associates

35+

Owners Able to Retire

40+

Locations

725,000+Sq Ft

Production, Warehouse, & Office Space

Our Core Values

Do the right thing

Do the right thing

  • Integrity is the heartbeat of our organization. We always do the right thing, regardless of the implications.

Listen first

Listen first

  • We actively listen, ask questions, and seek a complete understanding with humility.

Be entrepreneurial

Be entrepreneurial

  • We are creative problem solvers that are flexible and frugal. We never let “the way we've always done things” stop us from trying something new.

One team committed to our customers

One team committed to our customers

  • We work together to consistently provide the highest quality products and services to all of our customers on time, every time.

Excellence in all we do

Excellence in all we do

  • We push ourselves and each other to be the best in everything we do, no matter the size or importance of the task or the obstacles that may stand in our way.

Overview

Confluent Holdings is a holding company based in St. Louis, Missouri, that acquires and builds leading businesses throughout the United States. Above all else, Confluent's collective efforts are guided by our five core values and North Star: Enabling people to be their best every day.

Unlike individual investors, we have the resources, capital, contacts, performance improvement systems and experience to efficiently and effectively acquire, build and manage businesses. Unlike traditional private equity firms, Confluent exists to serve a variety of constituents, including associates, customers and suppliers, and founders and former business owners. Our investment horizon is indefinite, so we do not acquire businesses with the intention of quickly reselling them; rather, we invest in our businesses to preserve their legacy and honor their heritage while simultaneously facilitating stable, long-term growth.

Our Investors

Confluent's investors are comprised of an accomplished group of more than fifty people from across the United States. They share our passion for strengthening the backbone of the US economy by building small businesses, and they are among our country's most successful entrepreneurs, investors, and business executives, many of whom have built and taken their own companies public or sold them to leading private equity firms. Confluent's investors are much more than a source of passive capital. Their integrity, knowledge, and experience are an integral part of Confluent, and our successes are due in large part to their contributions.

Corporate History

2015

History

2015

Confluent Holdings is established as a holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Confluent closed its first acquisition, Tru-Cut Steel Rule Die Inc., based in Salt Lake City, Utah, in September 2015.

2016

History

2016

Confluent closed an oversubscribed Series A round of financing with over 30 investors from across the US, and closed its acquisition of Gemini Industries. The Tru-Cut business is moved to a larger facility in Salt Lake City to better serve its customers.

2017

History

2017

Confluent closed its acquisitions of Trade Print Finishing in Salt Lake City, Utah, and F&H Ribbon Company in Euless, Texas. Jason Saghir joins Confluent as its Chief Operating Officer.

2018

History

2018

Confluent closed its acquisition of the Oasis Die Company in Pheonix, Arizona. F&H Ribbon Company is moved from Euless, Texas to Roxana, Illinois.

2019

History

2019

Confluent closed its acquisitions of Accuzona Steel Rule Die in Phoenix, Arizona and TK-Cups Sorg’s in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.

2020

History

2020

Retooled production lines, and developed and manufactured over 4,000,000 filters, masks and related personal protective equipment for essential and front-line workers in response to COVID-19.

2021

History

2021

Confluent closed four acquisitions, including Larkin Industries in St. Paul, Minnesota, Sharples Die in North Attleborough, Massachusetts, and ProRose in Stamford, Connecticut. Relocated Oasis Die Company and Accuzona Steel Rule Dies to a larger facility in Phoenix, Arizona. 

2022

History

2022

Confluent closed the acquisitions of Drum-Line in Stuttgart, Arkansas, StrombergBrand Umbrellas in Valley Cottage, New York, Converting Technology, Inc. with locations in Elk Grove, Illinois, Greensboro, North Carolina, and Elkhart, Indiana, and Converting Technology Engraving, Inc. in Elk Grove, Illinois.

2023

History

2023

Confluent closed five acquisitions, including Triangle Die & Supplies, with locations in Batavia, Illinois and Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, Howw Manufacturing in Lake Barrington, Illinois, and Stafford Cutting Dies with locations in Charlotte, North Carolina, Reading, Pennsylvania, Knoxville, Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia.  Confluent held a final closing on an oversubscribed Series B round of financing with over 40 investors from across the US.

2024

History

2024

Confluent closed the acquisitions of Atlas Dies, with locations in Elmhurst, Illinois, Greensboro, North Carolina, and Stone Mountain, Georgia, and Mark Trece, with locations in Joppa, Maryland, Fallston, Maryland, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Lawrencville, Georgia, San Antonio, Texas, and Lakeland, Florida.

Investment Strategy

We do not acquire businesses with the intent of quickly reselling them or managing them for short-term gains; rather, we want to acquire the types of businesses that we can own and continue to grow over years and decades. Although not a requirement, we typically prioritize those opportunities that meet most of the following investment criteria:


Company Characteristics

  • Market leaders with a demonstrated history of stable revenue and earnings
  • Long-tenured and diverse base of customers and suppliers
  • Sustainable organic and acquisitive growth potential
  • Attractive industry and competitive dynamics
  • Low employee turnover and limited capital intensity
  • No material litigations or environmental liabilities

Financial Profile

  • $50.0 million or less of annual revenue
  • $1.0 million or more of annual earnings
  • No minimum for add-ons

Transaction Types

  • Buyouts
  • Family succession
  • Corporate carve-outs
  • Recapitalizations
  • Restructurings

Our Process

Confluent partners with intermediaries and business owners to assess, acquire and integrate new businesses into the Confluent family of companies. This highly efficient acquisition and integration system has been used by Confluent since inception and our approach enables us to effectively prioritize and streamline due diligence, while facilitating a more efficient and predictable closing process. Although each acquisition is unique, listed below is an illustrative summary of activities that are often included in our process (we provide each business owner and advisor with a customized, detailed timeline and list of activities when we begin our due diligence).

Process Stage Illustrative Timing Representative Activities
Preliminary Assessment 1 – 2 weeks
  • Non-disclosure agreements are executed and limited confidential information is exchanged and evaluated
  • Confluent will visit the business and have discussions with the business owners and/or their advisors about the company and the owners’ objectives
Due Diligence 2 – 4 weeks
  • Confluent will submit a letter of intent to acquire the business and, once signed by all parties, Confluent will continue its due diligence under a brief period of exclusivity
  • Confluent and its advisors will request and review a comprehensive set of information about the business so that we can complete our due diligence and start drafting the purchase agreement
Specialized Due Diligence 2 – 4 weeks
  • Confluent will hire third-parties to assist in specialized due diligence, as required.  These activities are specific to each transaction and could include things like a quality of earnings analysis, an asset appraisal, and/or an evironmental study.
Transaction Activity 2 – 4 weeks
  • Confluent will draft the purchase agreement and any required ancillary documentation (e.g., a new lease)
  • Business owners and their advisors will provide wire instructions required for the closing
  • The agreements are executed by all parties and the funds are transferred
Post-Closing Activities 1 – 4 weeks
  • Confluent leadership will hold group and individual meetings with all of the associates to welcome them aboard and answer any questions
  • A press release is issued and calls or meetings are held with many of the customers and vendors