Case Study: Hillandale Advisors Acquires Polysonics

“It takes a village to build a durable company.”

Matthew Hultquist, Founder & Managing Partner, Hillandale Advisors

Axial Members

Member Type	Family Office	M&A Advisory Firm
Axial Member Since	2022	2012
Headquarters	Charlotte, NC	Lincoln, KS
Axial Closed Deals	2	3
Axial Profile	View Profile	View Profile

Acquired Business

Location: Warrenton, VA

Description: Founded in 1958, Polysonics is a professional consulting firm specializing in acoustics, technology, and communication infrastructure solutions. With a wide range of expertise and years of experience, Polysonics serves various clients, including secure government facilities, technologically advanced schools, themed entertainment parks, world-class theatres, and houses of worship.

Reason for exit: Polysonics was up for sale because sellers were retiring after owning the business for 20 years. The company had a strong 2023 and had a backlog of over 250 commercial design projects from 100 different architects across the country.

Website  |  LinkedIn

Hillandale Advisors, a Charlotte-based two-person investment firm, has been diligently expanding its portfolio since joining Axial in March 2022. They wanted to cover a wider group of boutique investment banks and advisory firms representing relevant deals within their focus areas: services, industrials, and healthcare.

Hillandale first acquisition was Polysonics, a global acoustics, audio-visual, and technology consulting firm founded in 1958 and based in Warrenton, VA. Polysonics was represented by Scott Blackwood of Vista Business Group, a nine-person M&A advisory firm (and 12+ year Axial member). 

Vista hadn’t been on Hillandale’s radar previously, but after connecting on Axial in December of 2023 and signing an LOI in Q1 of this year, these teams put their heads down to get the deal done in the first half of the year.

A month after acquiring Polysonics in June, Hillandale closed on Horizon Roofing & Restoration, a prominent residential and commercial roofing company headquartered in Charlotte, NC. Horizon offers comprehensive services, including roofing, painting, siding, and gutter installations, as well as related insurance solutions.

While Horizon’s M&A advisor, NewLeaf Brokerage, is also based in Charlotte, Hillandale, and NewLeaf had not crossed paths before joining Axial.

And while running two successful deal processes in tandem certainly isn’t easy, Hillandale’s sourcing journey was made easier with Axial.

Deal Data