Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the acquisition of Schwab’s Enterprises of Northwest Florida (DBA: Bayou Lawn Services) by Landscape Workshop LLC.

Bayou Lawn Services provides professional landscape maintenance and installation, irrigation installation and repair services to commercial and residential clients. Landscape Workshop is a full-service grounds management company that has been providing professional service and expert maintenance for outdoor commercial spaces for more than 30 years. Landscape Workshop’s goal is to help its’ customers achieve business goals, maintain property value, and attract customers and tenants. The company has the ability to serve properties throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Tennessee, as well as parts of Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida.

Jim Allen, President and owner of Bayou Lawn Services said “The sale of Bayou Lawn Services was a difficult process that took quite a bit of time. Throughout the years I was engaged with Benchmark, I was presented many potential buyers. It’s funny that the buyer ended up being the very first company Benchmark brought to me at the beginning of the marketing process. I appreciate the dedicated and positive approach that the Benchmark team had during the entire process. Their ability to maintain buyers’ interest level through time played a large role in completing this transaction.”

J.T. Price, CEO of Landscape Workshop, said “We’re very pleased to have recently completed the acquisition of Bayou Lawn Services. Pairing Bayou Lawn Services’ employees and great customer relationships with Landscape Workshop’s management and professionalism will allow the customers in the region to be serviced better than ever before.”

Benchmark International Associate Director David Steverson stated, “We would like to congratulate Bayou Lawn Services and Jim Allen, as well as the buyer, Landscape Workshop. This is a great transaction which will allow Landscape workshop to further expand their geographic presence in a key area of the Florida Panhandle. Once the LOI was signed this acquisition moved towards a closing extremely quickly. This is due in large part to preparation and professionalism of Landscape Workshop and McKinney Capital.”

Benchmark International has successfully facilitated the sale of Landtec Services, LLC., to RW Construction Services LLC DBA ERW Site Solutions (ERW).

Landtec Services, LLC., is an Austin, Texas-based business that provides commercial landscaping services to the Central Texas market. It provides a turn-key solution that includes the installation of landscape, irrigation, hardscape and retaining walls, and property maintenance.

ERW Site Solutions (ERW) specializes in building retaining walls and providing job site services such as fine grading, hardscapes, monuments, job site cleanup, and slope protection & erosion control. ERW offers unmatched quality of service at prices other subcontractors can rarely beat while utilizing state of the art equipment and technology.

In reference to the transaction, Brandon Parish, Managing Member and Partner of Landtec Services LLC., explained his experience with Benchmark International, “I was recommended to Benchmark International by a fellow peer in the industry. He spoke highly of Benchmark’s team. My experience with Benchmark far surpassed any expectations. I truly felt like they understood what my goals were and they were relentless in their approach to get a deal done. Larry Quinn, Partner of Landtec Services, LLC., mentioned that “Benchmark International team knew from the beginning that we had unique goals; they carefully crafted a strategy that would allow Brandon and I to achieve them.”

Transaction Director, Luis Vinals, added, “Brandon and Larry were excellent to work with. Benchmark International’s Austin team enjoyed working with Brandon and Larry and found a deal that was ideal for them. This deal reflects Benchmark’s dynamic market position and negotiation prowess as both of our clients had naturally opposing goals. Brandon was looking for a transition and growth deal with a value added acquirer. On the other hand, Larry, wanted a shorter transition period for his eventual exit. The Austin team did a formidable job at negotiating a deal that would fit both of these objectives. From day one, our clients collaborated with us which paved the way for our proven model to forge a deal that would meet their needs.”

Benchmark International is delighted to announce the acquisition of GPL Landscaping to Rotolo Consultants, Inc.

Benchmark International acted as the representative for GPL Landscaping throughout this transaction. This represents Benchmark International’s fourth successful deal closing in the Landscaping industry over the last two years. Benchmark International maintained a close relationship with the client to obtain a good value for both parties.

“The landscaping industry has become a hot sector for lower middle market M&A,” said Benchmark International Managing Director Clinton Johnston. “The volumes and multiples we are seeing now, as well as the sheer number of repeat buyers and closed transactions, especially below the Mason-Dixon Line, could never have been predicted even as recently as five years ago. While there is an exciting quantity of well-funded potential acquirers, each is looking for very specific criteria and will only pay the value sellers are demanding in cases where an exact match can be found for their criteria.”

GPL Landscaping provides landscape maintenance and installation services to commercial and high-end residential accounts located in Florida. Approximately 80% of revenue is based on recurring maintenance programs. An established bank of customers made them a positive prospect for potential buyers.

Rotolo Consultants (RCI) Is a well-established regional landscaping company. RCI has designed, constructed, and maintained many of the most innovative and beautiful landscapes in the southeastern US. Through the years, they have evolved from a small family nursery business to one of the largest, most respected firms in the industry. “We are very excited about the acquisition of GPL Landscaping. (The company) comes with an experienced management team that has been at the core of its success,” said Keith Rotolo, president and CEO of RCI. “RCI will now be able to offer our extensive landscape and construction scopes of work to a new client base while aggressively growing the existing landscape maintenance presence that GPL had established. We will continue to explore acquisition opportunities in northwest Florida as well as in our core markets.”

Benchmark International Transaction Director, John Deeks, stated, “This transaction was not without its bumps and delays. However, as we knew that this client represented a perfect fit for the buyer in terms of geography, commercial to residential mix, level of recurring business, and management practices; we knew this was the right deal for our client and the valuation offered by RCI would be difficult to replicate. As a result, we fought hard to keep this deal on track, reminding the buyer of this compatibility at every opportunity and fighting through some unusually lengthy roadblocks.”