40 Years in Steel & Industrial Distribution, Interested in Operating Partnerships

Hello Searchfunder community, I’ve spent roughly 40 years inside B2B industrial businesses, primarily in steel service centers and distribution environments. My experience spans sales, purchasing, operations, and ownership. I’ve negotiated with mills, managed sales teams, dealt with inventory cycles, and worked through the realities of running businesses where margins, supplier leverage, and customer relationships determine whether the company succeeds. Reading through the discussions here, it’s clear many searchers are excellent at structuring deals. In my experience the real challenge begins after closing, when the founder steps away and someone has to run the operation day to day. That’s the environment I know well. At this stage I’m not looking to acquire a company myself, but I would be very interested in partnering with a searcher or independent sponsor acquiring businesses in metals, manufacturing, or industrial distribution. If anyone is working on opportunities in those sectors and wants to compare notes, I’d welcome the conversation. Lew #Manufacturing #Steel #IndustrialDistribution #OperatingPartner #ETA