Services
Private Equity Consulting
Convert operating levers into EBITDA, cash, and a stronger exit.
CBS consultants work alongside portfolio company teams to find and fix the operational issues that are holding EBITDA back; throughput constraints, cost structure problems, working capital drag, and management gaps. We get in, do the work, and leave the team in a stronger, more capable position than we found it.
Proven Expertise in Driving Portfolio Value Creation
CBS has worked across hundreds of PE portfolio engagements spanning industrial businesses, manufacturing, process industries, aerospace and defense, food and beverage, and consumer products. The work runs from pre-LOI diligence through exit preparation.
How CBS Works in a PE Environment
Every portfolio company has a different mix of constraints and opportunity. We right-size the work to speed value without burning out the team.
Our Private Equity Philosophy
Understand
Fix
Sustain
Service Offerings
Due Diligence and 100-Day Planning
Operational assessment of acquisition targets and post-close execution planning — factory reviews, management interviews, risk quantification, and a realistic 100-day roadmap anchored to the deal thesis.
Operational Value Creation
Throughput improvement, waste elimination, daily management systems, and continuous improvement deployment within portfolio company operations. Includes lean, Six Sigma, value stream mapping, and visual management.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier performance improvement, procurement cost reduction, inventory optimization, distribution architecture, and S&IOP implementation.
Leadership and Change Management
Executive coaching, organizational design, management team assessment, and capability building. Relevant in post-acquisition transitions and turnaround situations.
Program and Project Management
Facility expansions, product launches, carve-out operations, and capital projects requiring structured program management within a PE timeline.
Sale Readiness
Pre-divestiture operational analysis, process documentation, and management team preparation to support a clean exit process.
Private Equity Consulting Case Studies
Private Equity: Facility Start-Up for Carve-Out Company
Overview
A private equity firm acquired a non-strategic division from a larger company and needed to rapidly stand up a new, independent operation. The acquired business had its own leadership and sales team but was heavily dependent on the parent company’s infrastructure.
Challenge
No physical manufacturing space or production setup post-acquisition
Tight 12–16 month window to begin production of goods and services
New leadership team lacked experience building standalone operations
Need to establish operational standards and workforce leadership from scratch
Solution
Partnered with leadership to select and lay out a new facility
Developed and trained standard work for pick and pack cells
Designed and coached visual daily management practices
Implemented a “lite” warehouse management system
Provided leadership over pick, pack, and ship cells
Coached and mentored the new Plant Manager in their first leadership role
Results
Fully operational facility established on schedule
Leadership team trained in standard operations and daily management
New workforce brought online with clear structure and support
Standalone operation stabilized with foundational systems in place
Private Equity: Doubling Capacity in a Family-Owned Business
Overview
A private equity firm acquired a family-owned manufacturer known for its product quality. While quality was strong, the business lacked the operational systems needed to scale efficiently and meet new performance expectations.
Challenge
Required to double production capacity without adding people or equipment
Needed to significantly reduce lead times and overtime
No standardized systems in place for scheduling or shop floor control
Solution
Conducted a quote-to-cash analysis to assess current state
Phased implementation of improvement activities across operations
Introduced scheduling discipline and manufacturing standard work
Applied point-of-use material strategies
Implemented a visual shop floor management system
Led a blend of kaizen events, tactical projects, and “just do its” alongside client teams
Results
Doubled production capacity with existing resources
Reduced product lead time by 80%
Cut overtime from over 25% to under 5%
Increased productivity by 56%
Private Equity: Facility Expansion Reduced by 40% Using 3P
Overview
A private equity–owned manufacturing company producing high-performance hydraulic hoses and precision gaskets for industrial, MRO, and OEM applications was preparing for expansion following a recent acquisition.
Challenge
PE firm had acquired a long-standing, family-owned business to fill a strategic geographic gap
Existing facility was insufficient to support increased production and logistics needs
Original architectural plans proposed a building size larger than necessary
Required a second opinion to validate scope before investing in design and permitting
Solution
Applied CBS’s 3P (Production Preparation Process) methodology
Partnered with site leadership to analyze current and projected product volumes
Designed optimized flow cells and spatial layout based on volume segmentation
Built a 3D layout model to visualize material movement and right-size the footprint
Results
Reduced proposed building size by 40%, cutting unnecessary construction costs
Shortened the architectural design cycle with a validated 3D model
Accelerated project readiness and avoided overbuilding
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. CBS supports diligence with quick-turn operational assessments: facility visits, management interviews, process reviews, data analysis, and risk quantification. We deliver clear findings on value creation potential, operational risk, and what a realistic 100-day plan looks like. Diligence engagements are typically completed in 2–4 weeks depending on scope.
CBS deploys experienced operators with at least 15 years of industry experience; people who have run manufacturing plants, managed supply chains, and led post-acquisition integrations. We don’t use junior analysts to collect data for senior consultants who visit once a month. The people assessing the business are the same people doing the work.
Every engagement is tied to specific KPIs from day one: EBITDA improvement, cash conversion, OTD, OEE, cost per unit, or whatever is most relevant to the deal thesis. CBS reports progress at regular intervals in a format that works for both the portfolio company leadership team and the PE firm’s reporting needs.
As early as possible. Pre-LOI engagement gives deal teams the most accurate operational picture and the most time to act on what we find. That said, CBS regularly engages post-LOI, post-close, and mid-hold. The earlier the engagement, the more options the deal team has.
Carefully. CBS consultants work to earn trust with the operating team, not around it. We assess management capability objectively and give the PE firm a frank read on who can execute and who can’t. When leadership changes are needed, CBS can provide interim operational leadership during the transition.
Yes. Many CBS PE engagements inherit a previous improvement program that didn’t hold. We assess what was built, why it didn’t sustain, and focus on the operational fundamentals (management systems, process discipline, leadership capability) that make improvement stick. We’re not attached to starting over if the foundation is sound.
Private Equity Consulting Insights
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Balancing Honesty and Optics: Ethical Considerations When Selling Your Business
As the owner of a successful manufacturing company, John had poured his heart and soul into building the business over the past two decades.…
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The 3 Crucial Steps to Fast, Efficient Operational Due Diligence
In Part 1 of this two-part series, we examined just how important it is to every level of your business to ensure your operational…
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