Nordic Ice Case Study
“As soon as the Ascent team began the acquisition process, I knew we were in good hands. Dan and his team guided us through the entire process from start to finish — from building the pitch deck to arranging meetings, to acting as a point person between us and potential buyers. They were a true partner to our business.”
Challenge
Prior to signing on with Ascent CFO Solutions, Nordic Ice — a privately-held leading manufacturer of gel packs and cold chain logistics solutions for the pharmaceutical and food industries — had undergone tremendous growth. Yet despite impressive numbers and a strong product offering, including Nordic Ice gel packs (the ice packs you’ve likely seen in your weekly Blue Apron delivery box), founder and CEO, C.P. Smith, didn’t feel the company was prepared for the rigors of an acquisition.
After asking his network for referrals for part-time CFO’s, C.P. decided to enlist Dan DeGolier and Ascent CFO Solutions to prepare the company for additional growth or potentially an acquisition.
“Before working with Ascent CFO Solutions, we had been approached by several interested buyers, but at the time, our financial reporting lacked sophistication. We were getting by on part-accrual, part-cash basis financial statements and we didn’t have a reliable way to forecast our growth. Not to mention, we only had one full-time accounting employee, who was getting overwhelmed. We needed a CFO to help us take our business to the next level.”
Process
The first step for the Ascent CFO Solutions engagement team, made up of Dan DeGolier and others, was to get acquainted with Nordic Ice's business by analyzing the firm’s financials and researching the product offerings and market.
Next, they recalculated and restated standard inventory costs, transitioned the company to full accrual basis, and created an analysis of the CapEx requirements necessary to increase capacity for growth. Then, they built an integrated financial model forecast and began researching comparable valuation multiples. Once they had completed this research and gotten the finance house in order, they prepared a concise yet powerful pitch deck to present to potential buyers.
Ascent CFO Solutions worked with Nordic Ice to identify and connect with numerous potential buyers. After negotiating with multiple parties, the company elected to move forward with Endeavour Capital and then the real work began.
“Dan and his team at Ascent CFO Solutions led the efforts from the seller’s side for our acquisition of Nordic Ice. They were very professional during the negotiations as we ultimately reached agreeable terms. Dan’s team worked extremely hard to complete due diligence on schedule- I would recommend Ascent highly.”
After introducing Nordic Ice to a reputable law firm to represent them in the sale, Dan coordinated efforts between all parties including the QofE (Quality of Earnings) team, the buyers and their counsel and accountants. Next came a rigorous due diligence process across all aspects of the company, culminating with the transaction closing.
Outcome
“Ascent CFO Solutions was instrumental in helping us achieve our goal of selling the company with an outcome that rewarded us for our years of hard work,” said C.P. Smith
Post close, the entire Nordic Ice leadership remained intact and C.P. Smith remains CEO. As a way of continuing their partnership, Nordic Ice and Endeavour Capital invited Dan DeGolier to join the board of directors after a full-time permanent CFO of Nordic Ice was identified and brought onboard.
Read more about Nordic Ice's acquisition by Endeavour Capital.
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