We acquire and build niche manufacturing and product businesses
Pilotage Partners is a family investment vehicle focused on the US Northeast.
We have run businesses, not just owned them. That experience means we can step into complex situations, work alongside existing teams, and build on a founder's legacy.
For owners and employees navigating a change in ownership, we bring operating credibility, financial creativity, and respect for what they have built.
Our experience shapes where we focus and what we look for.
Industries
Specialty Manufacturing
Industrial Services
Specialty Distribution
Situations
Personal Transitions
Operational Opportunity
We look for businesses with differentiated products or defensible process moats, including proprietary product lines and engineered components for OEMs.
Businesses serving specialized niches are of interest, from aerospace to aftermarket parts, branded products, and food manufacturing.
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Technical services
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Certification and testing
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Repair businesses with recurring demand.
Value-added distribution with defensible economics. Not commodity logistics.
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Retirement with no clear successor
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Shareholder fatigue or misalignment
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Corporate carve-outs
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Strong business that has lost momentum
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Messy financials, concentrated customer base, or other addressable complexities
Personal Transitions
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Early distress where operational turnaround can restore options
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Businesses under lender pressure that require intervention
Every situation is different.
We start by understanding what a
successful outcome looks like for the seller.
Pilotage does not consider early-stage or R&D-heavy businesses, restaurants, or project-based construction.
Investment Criteria
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Revenue: approximately $3M minimum
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EBITDA: breakeven to $5M
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Control investments only
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Established customer relationships with durable demand
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Supervisory layer in place
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US Northeast and East Coast
We invest our own capital and bring in aligned co-investors for larger opportunities.