Testimonials
EXPERT PARTNERS
Here’s what Fairwood leaders say about Crane Group’s value.
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Keeping Their Word
“Crane Group has treated us like a partner, and they’ve done everything as they said they would. That’s hard to find these days. It’s always easy to say the right things; you know what people like to hear. It’s harder to follow through, and Crane Group does. They are professional, experienced, and family-oriented, and they have provided us with support, guidance, and expertise at a new level. We all know it’s easy when things are going well, but when the stuff hits the fan, that’s when you get a true measurement of a partnership—and this one’s a win-win.”
—Scott Morris, L.M.L. Estate Management
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Building Relationships
“From our first meeting with Crane Group, I was impressed with their personality, relatability, and lack of pretention. We felt like part of a family—that it was not just about buying the business, building it, and flipping it, but rather about building relationships. They have been the kind of partner we were looking for—supportive, strategic, and with a similar vision for the business. One of the things that we were looking for in an acquisition partner was a focus on operations and building and improving the business. Crane Group has exceeded those expectations. We partnered with them because they have demonstrated their commitment to excellence in buildings brands and taking businesses to the next level. Now they are doing that in this industry, and we are pleased to be part of it.”
—Mark Losher, L.M.L. Estate Management
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Honesty & Integrity
“We are founders getting older, and we wanted to make a plan for the future while there was still ample runway to implement it. We also wanted to take our company to the next level. As we got to know the people at Crane, we were impressed by their honesty, integrity, and genuine interest in what we’ve built. In practice, Crane has been as great to work with as we had hoped. They have given the local businesses autonomy to run independently while providing tremendous resources in M&A, accounting, human resources, technology, and other areas. And they have provided a forum for the owners and founders of the Fairwood Brands businesses to connect and share experiences. Teaming up with Crane Group was the best decision we ever made.”
—Tom Losher, L.M.L. Estate Management
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Transformative Support
“Crane Group has treated our company with respect and support, and they’ve brought value in many ways. We have utilized Crane Group’s internal counsel, and the IT department has helped enable opportunities for remote work that were not possible previously. Crane Group has also provided financial support critical to the startup of a new service division within our business. Also, connecting with other leaders in Fairwood Brands to share ideas has prompted us to look internally toward improvements in estimating, internal costs, equipment purchasing, and other areas integral to managing our business. I would recommend teaming with Crane Group and Fairwood Brands to not only revitalize and grow an existing business, but also to secure its future. Crane deeply understands the importance of carrying on the legacy of a small business, while simultaneously providing transformative support to incorporate industry best practices and systems.”
—Donald Smith, Fine Landscapes Ltd.
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Forward Movement
“Crane Group has provided a great support system, and everybody I have been in contact with has been friendly, helpful, and has shown results for whatever my situation required. They have really helped our company move forward in a positive direction to a new level.”
—Don Sawyer, Bear Creek Landscaping & Construction
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Resources & Camaraderie
“Crane Group has brought value to our company in many ways, and they’ve been friendly through the whole journey, from acquisition and subsequent to closing. Their shared resources—including a human resources platform, legal support, and important analyses like aggregate reviews—have been very beneficial. A highlight has been the comprehensive benefits package they’ve provided for our employees. We’ve also enjoyed connecting with leaders from the other Fairwood Brands companies to share thoughts and strategies; it has created real camaraderie. If you’re looking to increase profitability, I highly recommend teaming with Crane Group.”
—Renee Gilmore, Signature Landscape Contractors
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In Good Hands
“As I considered transitioning to retirement, I knew I had a wonderful staff—one being my son-in-law. I wanted to make sure these guys were in good hands. You always worry when you sell a business: Are your clients going to be taken care of? Are your employees going to be comfortable? Crane has been wonderful. I think the world of them. They’ve really helped us with back-office improvements like human resources—especially 401Ks and providing more affordable insurance to our employees, so that’s been quite a positive. Otherwise, they let us run our business how we run our business. Crane Group has a history of doing this in other industries, and now with Fairwood Brands, they’re doing it in ours. It’s a wonderful thing.”
—Mark Kuppe, Kuppe’s Landscape Services
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Direction, Support & Connections
“Crane’s support of our growth—especially their help with HR and staffing—has been amazing. They’ve encouraged us to invest now in good people, delegate, and make sure we’re moving in the right direction. We haven’t been aggressive about it in the past, so having that direction and support is great. Connecting with the other owners has been the other greatest benefit. It’s been nice to just open everything up, see how other companies do it, and bounce ideas off people. As somebody who’s earlier in my career, it’s been great to have these experienced people to absorb information from. And for Mark, our founder, Crane Group has given him the ability to be part of the transition so that he can leave on his own timeline—not just sell and wave goodbye to the people he loves. It’s been really good.”
—Dan Greene, Fine Landscapes Ltd.
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Leveling Up
“Crane Group has helped us immensely with their more robust HR department, which helped us to acquire much-needed skilled staff. The IT support has been extremely helpful in transitioning and setting up key programs. And the company has provided a better retirement program for our employees. Connecting with other leaders in our industry, and openly digging into common challenges, has also been valuable. We have even made strategic changes after some of those discussions. It has helped us become a better business. And because Crane let us keep our branding and overall business structure, the transition for our clients has been flawless. I'd recommend teaming with Crane if you're looking to take your business to the next level more quickly than working as an individual company.”
—Adam Blumerick, Kuppe’s Landscape Services
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Meaningful Guidance
“With Crane Group, all of these layers are already in place—an IT team, attorneys. Probably for me, the best highlight has been the legal team. One example: The state of Illinois made some law adjustments, and I sent our employee manual to Crane’s team to review. They usually respond the same day, and I think that’s just great. Having a group of other companies to talk with is very helpful, too. We’re all battling the same things, like how do you find good employees. So it’s good to have people to work through that with. For owners who have a great company and great employees, this is an extremely positive way to go.”
—Arnie Kroeze, Bruss Landscaping
Join Our Family
We want to grow the Fairwood Brands family by adding entrepreneurs and businesses in our specialized space that demonstrate sustainable growth and an exciting vision for the future.
IDEAL INVESTMENT CRITERIA
Revenue: $10-30mm
EBITDA: Appropriately profitable
Leadership: Owner and management team desire to stay in the business
Brand: Strong local brand, known for design capabilities
Location: Strong markets throughout the United States