What Does The Watermill Group Do?

Total employees35
HeadquartersLexington
Founded1978

The Watermill Group is a strategy-driven private investment firm focused on acquiring and revitalizing middle-market companies. Founded in 1978, they partner with management teams to build value by applying a combination of strategic insight and operational improvement. Watermill is known for its hands-on approach, often tackling complex situations and transforming businesses into market leaders. Their typical investments are in manufacturing, industrial, and distribution companies across a variety of sectors.

Where Is The Watermill Group's Headquarters?

The Watermill Group officeThe Watermill Group officeThe Watermill Group officeThe Watermill Group office
*Images sourced via web search. Rights belong to original owners

HQ Function

The headquarters serves as the central hub for all firm activities, including deal sourcing, due diligence, investment execution, portfolio company oversight, and strategic management.

Notable Features:

The office is located in a modern, professional office park, designed to facilitate collaboration and focused work. Specific architectural highlights are not publicly emphasized, prioritizing a functional and efficient workspace.

Work Culture:

The work culture at The Watermill Group is characterized by intellectual rigor, strategic thinking, operational focus, and a collaborative, hands-on approach. Employees often describe it as demanding yet rewarding, with a strong emphasis on partnership and value creation.

HQ Significance:

The Lexington headquarters is the nerve center for The Watermill Group's investment strategy and operations, where key decisions are made that drive the growth and transformation of its portfolio companies.

Values Reflected in HQ: The headquarters' environment likely reflects The Watermill Group's core values of integrity, partnership, strategic discipline, operational excellence, and a commitment to long-term value creation.

Location:

While The Watermill Group primarily focuses on investing in North American middle-market companies, its portfolio companies often have global operations, supply chains, and customer bases. The firm supports these international aspects through strategic guidance, operational expertise, and capital investment managed from its U.S. headquarters. Their global engagement is thus indirect, facilitated through the worldwide activities of the businesses they own and grow.

Street Address:

125 Spring Street

City:

Lexington

State/Province:

MA

Country:

USA

Where Else Does The Watermill Group Operate Around the World?

N/A - Primary Operations from Lexington, MA

Address: N/A

Portfolio companies operate in various regions based on their specific markets and industries, supported strategically and financially by The Watermill Group from its main office.

Buying Intent Signals for The Watermill Group

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Who's Leading The Watermill Group? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, The Watermill Group' leadership includes:

Steven E. Karol - Founder and Managing Partner
Benjamin P. Procter - Partner
Julia Karol - Partner
Michael R. Fuller - Partner
Robert Ackley - Partner

Who's Investing in The Watermill Group?

The Watermill Group has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Institutional investors (e.g., pension funds, endowments, foundations)
Family offices
High-net-worth individuals
Fund of funds

What Leadership Changes Has The Watermill Group Seen Recently?

Hire0
Exits0

Based on publicly available information and recent news (as of mid-2024), there have been no major publicly announced new hires or departures at the senior partner/executive level for The Watermill Group itself within the last 12 months. The firm's news primarily highlights portfolio company activities, acquisitions, and divestitures, indicating a stable core leadership team.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used byThe Watermill Group?

Discover the tools The Watermill Group uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

The Watermill Group Email Formats and Examples

The Watermill Group likely utilizes standard corporate email address formats. Common patterns include using the first initial and last name, or the full first name separated by a dot from the last name, followed by '@watermill.com'.

[first_initial][last]@watermill.com or [first].[last]@watermill.com

Format

jdoe@watermill.com

Example

90%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About The Watermill Group?

watermill.com • May 14, 2024

The Watermill Group's Portfolio Company, Weston Forest, Acquires Ontario’s Monterra Lumber Mills

The Watermill Group announced that its portfolio company, Weston Forest, a leading distributor and remanufacturer of softwood and hardwood lumber and specialty panel products, has acquired Monterra Lumber Mills Ltd., an Ontario-based provider of wood packaging solutions....more

watermill.com • April 9, 2024

The Watermill Group Completes Sale of Quality Metalcraft to Mayville Engineering Company (MEC)

The Watermill Group announced the successful sale of Quality Metalcraft, Inc. (QMC), an industry leader in advanced metal forming, to Mayville Engineering Company, Inc. (NYSE: MEC), a leading U.S.-based value-added manufacturing partner....more

watermill.com • January 9, 2024

The Watermill Group Announces Majority Investment in Enbi

The Watermill Group announced its majority investment in Enbi Group, a global manufacturer of high-performance precision rollers, gaskets, seals, and insulation for demanding applications in digital printing, ATMs and cash handling, mail sorting, and material handling....more

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