How Grata Helps ATI Find Unknown Companies in a Niche Market
ATI needed the tool that could search private middle market companies to build a comprehensive view of the market.
ATI needed the tool that could search private middle market companies to build a comprehensive view of the market.
Client Overview:
Air Techniques International (ATI) is a small, family-owned company. Since 1961, Air Techniques has been the leading designer and manufacturer of specialized testing equipment for HEPA filters, filter cartridges, respirators, and protective masks.
Andrew Wert, Director of Marketing and Corporate Development, realized that Grata was the only platform that had the company information ATI needed to successfully launch their corporate development strategy.
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“We looked at other solutions like Capital IQ– but there was a world of difference between their company data and the information we needed.”
Andrew Wert has bounced between marketing and M&A in his career before deciding to embrace both as Director of Marketing and Corporate Development at ATI. Wert started in strategic planning at an aerospace company, served as Vice President of Marketing at Veeder-Root (Danaher, NYSE: DHR) and then transitioned into the private equity world at a boutique firm.
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He joined ATI in 2017, excited to join a team with ambitious growth goals. As a corporate development team of one, Wert knew that ATI’s aggressive inorganic growth goals could only be met with the right technology in hand. To start, ATI would need a comprehensive and efficient way to acquire company data.
The Objective:
ATI operates in a niche market. Wert knew most of the players, but because the market is so small, there is not much transparency on company sizes and growth rates. “It's a challenge, especially if those companies are not publicly available for sale. How do you do your homework and identify if that's the right type of company for you? This is where Grata really excels.”
The Solution:
Grata's automated private company intelligence engine continuously updates, keeping pace with the dynamic middle market. This automation empowers corporate development teams to stay in tune with middle market companies that are growing (tracking employee count), pivoting (analyzing website messaging), or changing hands (displaying funding data) all in one user-friendly profile.
The Results:
With his first Grata search, Wert pulled a list of 800 companies. After further analyzing the companies, he focused on 80 companies that more closely aligned with their acquisition brief.
Wert found that of the final list of 15 companies that ATI reached out to, he was completely unaware of 7 of them prior to Grata.
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Top features that increased efficiency in their sourcing workflow.
ATI has now moved from the sourcing stage to engaging executives. Wert is not actively searching for new companies every day, which makes the support he receives from the Grata customer success team even more crucial. “For any platform, you need people who are going to help guide you through the process. Sourcing is part of my job, not the entirety. If you’re in the same boat, you will want the support Grata offers.”
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No matter your sector, you are missing companies that may meet your acquisition brief if you’re not looking at middle market private companies. And there small to mid-cap bootstrapped companies are not easily searchable in static databases.
“It's hard information to source, so pulling the data together in one area is extremely helpful for saving time—especially when you don't have a dedicated staff member to help build your network.
40
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New Employees
20
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New Contractors
10
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New Countries
3
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Lifetime Value
