Advanced Manufacturing

The global economy is at an inflection point. We are in the early innings of an automation and digitization boom that promises to fundamentally transform the global manufacturing and distribution industries. Companies that don’t adapt are at significant risk of being left behind.

Firms in the Advanced Manufacturing, Distribution Logistics and Automation industries operate in a rapidly evolving environment. The capital markets have taken notice and aggressive, well-funded acquirers are rapidly transforming the competitive landscape.

The FOCUS Advanced Manufacturing team is here to help business owners navigate this new and unfamiliar terrain. We provide M&A advisory services (buy and sell side) and locate the capital businesses need to grow. Our team is composed of seasoned investment bankers and advisors with extensive operating experience in manufacturing and distribution backed by a deep research team.

Our team works across multiple sectors:

Automation Industry

  • Additive Manufacturing
  • Automation Integration
  • Drones and Autonomous Vehicles
  • Internet of Things/Industry 4.0
  • Optics, Photonics and Sensors
  • Robotic Process Automation
  • Robotics and Artificial Intelligence

Our mission is to help business owners identify and achieve strategic goals by:

  • Evaluating your business, including:

  • Its position in the industry,

  • Its readiness for sale or growth,

  • The opportunities and risks automation presents your firm, and

  • Your strategic alternatives and company value based upon these factors and the current financial markets.

  • Advising you on preparing your business for sale, growing your business through acquisition or raising capital to support your growth.

  • Finding multiple prospects for a sale, an acquisition or new capital.

  • Structuring the deal; from asset or stock purchase, cash or debt, goodwill purchases, earnouts and more.

  • Our proven process targets multiple bidders and a robust negotiation to achieve the best price and terms for you as seller.
  • As entrepreneurs, we know the importance of taking care of your employees.
  • Recognizing that transitioning after a sale and the impact of the sale on you and your family are important to your decision and go beyond pure economics.

We also represent buyers of businesses in our targeted sectors. Using a highly disciplined research based approach we:

  • Assist our clients in determining actionable growth criteria,
  • Identify qualified candidates,
  • Reach out to these targets to tell our client’s story in a compelling way,
  • Introduce interested and qualified candidates to our client,
  • Assist in the negotiations until an LOI or IOI has been executed;

  • Provide coordination and support throughout due diligence and documentation process to closing.

Advanced Manufacturing Team



Hear From Our Clients

“John Slater and Jorge Maceyras with FOCUS Investment Banking, expertly coordinated a process that generated significant interest in my company from the market.  The ultimate result of that process yielded a positive outcome for me personally and professionally as well as for the employees of HL Precision Manufacturing and its enduring future in an increasingly consolidating industry.  Our deal combined elements of a merger, sale, and acquisition all resulting in the formation of a new parent company, H3 Manufacturing Group, LLC which now owns both HL Precision as well as Hi-Grade Welding & Mfg.  The work done by the FOCUS team was disciplined, very well documented, and portrayed HL Precision in an accurate and attractive manner.  I would very much recommend FOCUS to other business owners and CEO’s looking to take their company to market and/or seek strategic partners for their road ahead.”

Steve Hillard headshot

Steven C. Hillard, President & CEO

H3 Manufacturing Group, LLC