Caber Hill Advisors is pleased to announce that it served as the exclusive M&A advisor to CLC Lubricants in its sale to BECHEM, a global leader in specialty lubricants with an expanding footprint in North America.
Founded nearly 50 years ago and headquartered in Geneva, Illinois, CLC Lubricants is a respected manufacturer of industrial oils, metalworking fluids, and cleaners. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified and recognized for its technological expertise, strong customer relationships, and long-standing market position in the industrial lubrication sector.
The acquisition marks a significant milestone for BECHEM as it advances its Strategy 2030 growth plan and establishes its first wholly owned U.S. production facility. The CLC brand and product portfolio will remain in place and be complemented by BECHEM’s extensive offerings.
“This transaction was an exciting opportunity to align a trusted, well-established U.S. manufacturer with a global organization poised for strategic growth,” said Jordan Gerber, Managing Director at Caber Hill Advisors who led the deal. “CLC Lubricants’ reputation for quality, service, and customer-centric solutions made them an ideal fit for BECHEM’s North American expansion.”
Following the transaction, CLC Lubricant’s owner Michael O’Brien said, “We could not have asked for a better partner than Caber Hill Advisors in selling our company. From the very first conversation, Jordan and his team took the time to understand not just our business, but our values and vision for its future. They ultimately connected us with an international buyer whose culture and priorities align perfectly with ours, which gave us confidence that what we built will continue to thrive.
Jordan was available to us 24/7, always ready to answer questions, talk through decisions, and guide us through each step of the process. The Deal Room platform they used made sharing information with potential buyers secure, efficient, and seamless, benefiting both us and the buyers.
Selling a family business is a deeply personal journey, and Caber Hill Advisors handled it with the highest level of professionalism, dedication, and care. We are grateful for their expertise and could not be more pleased with the outcome.”
As part of the acquisition, CLC’s team of 21 employees will join BECHEM. Management of the combined operations will be overseen by Steve Puffpaff, President of BECHEM Lubrication Technology, as part of his broader responsibility for the North American market.
The deal closed on August 8, 2025. Additional details about the transaction were not disclosed.
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