How do I find a plastic injection moulding shop for sale in Canada?

Injection moulding shops are not common on the open market. Many owners built the business over a long career, run it from a single plant and have never thought about listing it. That shapes the search. You will see a few shops on listing sites and broker lists, but the better leads often come from the people who deal with moulders every week. Know what you want before you start.

Start with listings and brokers

Listing sites and business brokers show you what is openly for sale and how sellers describe it. Read each listing for the process, the customers served and the equipment, not only the headline. When you speak with a broker, ask whom the broker acts for. A broker usually works for the seller, so treat the package as a starting point you will check yourself. Brokers also hear of owners who are thinking quietly about a sale.

Ask the people around the trade

Resin distributors, mould makers, maintenance and robotics contractors and tooling repair shops all know which owners are tired, near retirement or short of a successor. Customers do too. Tell them plainly what you are looking for and what kind of shop would suit you. An accountant or lawyer who serves manufacturers may also know of an owner who wants a quiet conversation.

Approaching an owner who has not listed

Keep the first contact short, courteous and confidential. Say who you are, what interests you about the shop and that you are happy to sign a confidentiality agreement before anyone shares numbers. Do not press for financial detail on a first call. Many owners need a few conversations before they will talk about a sale, and a respectful buyer is remembered when the owner is ready.

Screen a lead before you spend time

• Which processes does the plant run, and for which industries?
• Is work spread across long-running programs, or mostly one-off jobs?
• Who owns the moulds, the shop or its customers?
• How old are the presses, and who maintains them?
• How dependent is the shop on the owner for quoting and customer contact?

Once a lead passes this screen, the steps in how to find a business to buy and how to assess equipment condition will carry you into deeper checks.