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Mergers & Acquisitions

Inside Crane Group’s Sale to PE, and Lessons for Distributors Entering 2026 M&A Cycle

From MDM’s 2025 Virtual M&A Summit, gain an exclusive look at a how a family-owned industrial distributor approached the decision to sell to private equity and what it reveals about valuations, buyer demand and the fast-shifting M&A landscape.

December 5, 2025

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Lead photo: Crane Engineering's headquarters facility in Kimberly, WI. (courtesy of Keller, Inc.)

The wholesale distribution M&A market has spent the last 18 months regaining momentum after a volatile stretch of tariff shocks, tightening capital and intermittent buyer hesitancy. Yet behind the macro shifts lies a quieter story: many distributors are preparing — sometimes urgently — to make long-deferred decisions about ownership, succession, and scale. A compelling example emerged during MDM’s Dec. 3 Virtual M&A Summit, where Crane Group President & CEO Lance Crane, along with PMCF Investment…

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