Episode 12: Building Materials Industry | Prep Your Company for Sale with Don Wharton

While we typically interview business leaders who operate exclusively in the building materials industry, the latest episode of GWP’s Constructing Brands podcast deviates slightly from the norm. Don Wharton joins us to share his experience with selling companies. He provides a president’s perspective on the entire process and lays out invaluable insights for members of the C-suite in building materials companies. Don has served as the Vice President, Finance of Allsteel, President of Gunlocke, and President of Vycom and Scranton Products. While Don may come from a background in finance, Don has a broad scope of the building materials industry as well.

Maximize the Investment

When Don started in the building materials industry with Vycom and Scranton Products the company was owned by a private equity firm. Eventually, it was sold to another private equity firm, but for that to happen, Don and his team had to meet a number of objectives. The goal in this scenario is to maximize the investment before reaching a transaction or a change in ownership. While the existing teams usually operate under a thesis with a set blueprint, changes in the market and other unforeseen events call for decisive action and creativity.

Become More Effective and More Agile

Don’s experience, there are a number of unique factors that must be considered before doing any type of deal in the building materials industry. Aside from meeting the standard metrics and KPIs that serve as a baseline for valuation, Don goes above and beyond to maximize value. He looks for new ways to become more effective to the customer base, and more agile so he can improve the financial results, and those are big picture items. Whether it is marketing, operations, or sales, there are a lot of moving parts to keep an eye on during a merger or acquisition. To learn more about the process, listen to the latest episode of GWP’s Constructing Brands podcast with Don Wharton.

About Don Wharton

Don Wharton comes from a background in finance, beginning with his career at J.P. Morgan Chase. He then transitioned into the building materials industry after taking a position with Moen. Don has also served as the Vice President, Finance at Allsteel, President of Gunlocke, President of Vycom, and President of Scranton Products. During his tenure with Scranton Products, Don successfully oversaw the sale of the company.

What You Will Learn:

• How to prep your company for sale in the building materials industry
• How to maximize the valuation of your company leading into a transaction or change in ownership
• The different functions of marketing, operations, and sales in a merger or acquisition
• Why you need to maintain your vision, missions, and values throughout the sale process
• How much of the brand is being sold vs. the books and equipment
• Don Wharton’s current role as Vice President, Operations for LeafFilter

Resources

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-wharton-a9786410/