– After revenues declined by 30% over two years and EBIDTA turned negative, Benda’s lender cut funding and initiated foreclosure in November 2021.

– By January 2022, most employees had been laid off, payrolls were missed, and the company was days away from permanent closure.

– Sourced as a liquidation deal, we saw value, quickly diligenced and ultimately purchased Benda as a going concern.

– We partnered with Iroquois Industrial Group to purchase the assets, and closed in February 2022.

– Secured lender enjoyed a full recovery.

– 23 jobs saved, with plans to expand into other markets and leverage synergies with our other portfolio companies.

– PPL and Iroquois also jointly own Savannah Industrial Solutions in Savannah, TN.

A leading manufacturer of top-quality metal lockers and industrial storage products in Illinois was forced to declare bankruptcy despite $75M in annual revenues. We recognized their value, purchased the company out of bankruptcy, and brought on an operating partner to steer it in a new, better direction. We exited almost exactly one year later with their profits—and future—stabilized.

A firm that fabricated steel plates for the construction, agricultural, mini-equipment and power generation industries had revenues of $40M per year. But a judgment after years of costly litigation sent them into bankruptcy. We were the winning bidder at their bankruptcy auction, and formed a new company: LB Metals, LLC. After successfully stabilizing the company, we sold our interest to a strategic buyer who is running the company today.

A private equity firm bought a Wisconsin-located manufacturer of fasteners and rivets serving the automotive industry. Unfortunately, the PE group began facing challenges, so we stepped in and purchased the company through a bank process. We then convinced the former management team, which had since left the company, to return. After rightsizing the business to ensure sustainability, we were approached by an international strategic buyer who purchased the business, and is operating it today.

An aluminum products producer located in Central Florida and with annual revenues of $100M, was facing a time of transition—its private equity owner was fatigued, leaving the company in limbo. Working with existing leadership, our sister company, Big Shoulders Capital, and our operating partner stepped in to purchase the company, secured by its considerable collateral, including real estate. At the time, the company’s EBITDA was negative. We recruited an industry leader to orchestrate a turnaround, and the company remains a profitable part of our portfolio today.

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Ryerson, a publicly traded producer of stainless steel and aluminum, has engaged PPL on 15+ projects over more than a decade. Says Brian Kluge, the Director of Operations for Ryerson: “I continue to call PPL as they are extremely knowledgeable concerning a vast array of equipment and I have always been pleased with the outcome. They are very easy to work with—responsive and on-the-mark concerning estimates. I have recommended PPL Group several times over the past 10 years and would not hesitate to do so in the future.”

Over the years, PPL has conducted five different sales for Newell/Rubbermaid for a variety of industries: IRWIN^®, IRWIN^® Vise-Grip, Goody^®, LEVOLOR^® and Sharpie^®. They come back to us, no matter the project, because of our vast expertise across numerous industries, and also because they like working with us. Says Newell/Rubbermaid’s Director of Real Estate & Property: “In choosing an auction company, I look for a company that I can trust, is honest about what to expect during the auction process and upon the conclusion of the sale, and offers the best value. PPL Group has been my choice and has always lived up to my expectations.”

A publicly-traded energy company wanted to release an old operation site quickly, to concentrate on newer ones. They contacted PPL, and we purchased the entire site (both the facility and its equipment) within 20 days. We then sold the mechanicals and engineering to a Chilean customer, and the real estate to a local buyer who is converting the space into a new pellet mill. It’s win, win, and win.

A Cincinnati-area bearings manufacturer purchased new equipment and leased a number of CNC machines in anticipation of growth. Subsequent sales were disappointing, and they needed to liquidate their excess equipment. PPL managed the proceeds over the six-month sale process. We also developed a multi-stage marketing strategy, including advanced digital advertising tactics and pre-sales. Their CFO wrote to us: “Your organization does great work. Thank you for the flawless execution of our highly successful equipment auction.”

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A large producer of foundry coke was in bankruptcy in Buffalo, NY. PPL was able to work successfully with the bankruptcy court, the debtors, creditors and the EPA—all on a short timeline. The recovery value was so good, we were invited back to conduct a second sale after the EPA had cleared a second large batch of equipment.

A precision machine shop owner was looking to retire. He needed to liquidate the equipment in order to make the building sellable. We conducted the auction two months later, and surpassed his expectations. After the auction, he was able to sell the building, and soon after the owner and his wife left to tour the country in their RV.

A Milwaukee soda maker overextended when they expanded their operations. Their bank pushed them into receivership. We helped the receiver navigate a solution between an unhappy bank, a difficult landlord, angry ex-owners, and other uncooperative stake-holders. Ultimately, we held a successful auction that maximized recovery.

The owner of a plastics recycling business attended an auction of ours and was so impressed with the values we generated, he kept our contact information. Later, when he decided to retire, he called PPL to sell his equipment and fund his retirement.

Publicly traded valve manufacturer Flowserve was closing a plant in Massachusetts. They were finishing work at the plant while trying to sell the building. PPL was able to adjust our timeline and our auction process to allow them to finish their production while we worked around them. They then sold the building, realizing a good return on their assets. They invited us to conduct a second auction for them at another site.

After two U.S. gulf coast shipbuilding companies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, PPL and its partners made an eight-figure purchase of their assets. We then held an enormous three-day live and webcast auction at multiple locations throughout Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Florida. These included 16,000 tons of metal and components necessary to construct two entire 49,000-dwt Jones Act Tankers valued at more than $200M.

The American Group of Constructors (TAG) was an industrial contractor that provided pipe fabrication, crane repair, mechanical and structural services and more for steel mills in the Midwest. They expanded the business to Houston in order to service oil and gas clients, but the market dried up in 2016 when oil prices dropped. The company was overleveraged and with the consent of their creditors, TAG hired an Assignee to conduct an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors. PPL was hired by the Assignee to conduct a sale for the benefit of the company’s creditors. The two-day auction included vehicles, plus pick-up and service trucks. The auction was a live theater-style sale, followed by an online-only sale the following day.

Founded in 1917, a 247-acre Denmark-based shipyard built container ships for its parent group including what was once the largest container ship in the world. Due to the global financial crisis the shipyard was forced to close, delivering its final ship early in 2012. PPL and a group of partners bought the assets for seven figures, and then conducted a massive liquidation, which included a three-day auction.

A large offshore fabrication yard—the industry’s very first dedicated steel fabrication yard when it opened in the 1950’s—was closing its doors. The yard turned to PPL, and we made an eight-figure cash purchase and conducted a five-day auction consisting of approximately 2,500 lots. The sales were so successful, PPL was invited back to undertake two additional rounds of sales at the facility.

A football stadium-sized aluminum smelter sits on 1,600 acres along the Ohio River in Hannibal, OH. This 2.5 million sq. ft. facility declared bankruptcy, and PPL Group was selected to be the stalking horse at its auction. Our joint venture made an eight-figure transaction with the winning bidder. This project lasted longer than a year and included extensive demolition including mill and potlines. The resulting auction was four-days and more than 2,000 lots.

A paper mill in Snowflake, Arizona produced 100% recycled newsprint and specialty paper from their 500,000 sq. ft. manufacturing building. We purchased their entire 20,000-acre site out of bankruptcy, including a landfill and wastewater treatment plant, water rights, and a 52-mile railroad. We then financed Snowflake’s purchase of the railroad to ensure their economic viability and liquidated the structures and equipment over a 12-month period, including a three-day auction.

A pulp mill plant sits on 300 acres along the Penobscot River in Maine. The property also includes a 400,000 sq. ft. warehouse and a University of Maine-operated R&D center. After the plant closed, PPL Group purchased the real estate, machinery and equipment in 2016. Then, working with the city of Old Town, we found a buyer for the entire facility who agreed to continue operations at full capacity, and the plant re-opened. Additionally, a four-day auction unloaded the majority of the surplus machinery and equipment.

Following the decommissioning of a nuclear fuel provider in Kentucky, we conducted a series of sales, all strictly in adherence to government and security protocols. The sales were so successful we were then invited to conduct subsequent sales in Tennessee, Alabama and Ohio. Our comprehensive pre-sale process included citizenship verification for bidders and limited-access property inspections. Our post-sale protocols diligently followed all export regulations and Homeland Security requirements.

Graftech manufactured a variety of graphite products. They had a division that was distracting them from their core business, and they needed a way out. We and our partners purchased the entire division, comprised of five facilities in the U.S. and Italy. This included approximately 2 million sq. ft. of manufacturing space, ISO molding, extrusion equipment, inventory and real estate. We funded multiple buyers who purchased four of the plants. After holding an auction for the surplus equipment in the fifth plant, we financed another buyer to step into the right-sized operation and restart the facility.

Par Pharmaceutical was selling their generics pharmaceutical campus which included liquid manufacturing filling capabilities and a distribution warehouse. They struggled to find a strategic buyer, and after two years on the market they needed some relief. PPL Group provided it. We purchased the entire 110-acre campus, including three facilities totaling more than 800,000 sq. ft. We conducted a series of auctions for select equipment, funded a contract manufacturer to lease the liquids building with equipment, leased the second building to a non-pharma manufacturer, and are currently remodeling the third facility.