4M and Buttweiler

St. Louis-based commercial cleaning and janitorial services company 4M Building Solutions (www.4-M.com) announced it has acquired Buttweiler Environmental (BWE), a family-owned commercial cleaning company in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Tim M. Murch, CBSE, 4M CEO and managing partner, announced the company’s expansion into Minnesota, marking the company’s 19th service state. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 

"We are thrilled with the opportunity to expand to Minnesota," says Murch. "Buttweiler Environmental has forged a strong business legacy spanning over five decades. 4M Building Solutions is celebrating 45 years, so we fully understand the effort and commitment it takes for decades of success in an industry known for short-lived enterprises. That attracted us to Buttweiler; there were no surprises on how we matched up on culture, hiring, training and development, and our commitment to service excellence.”

BWE was founded in 1970 in St. Cloud, Minn., by Jim and Ilone Buttweiler. Its beginnings followed a story common among small, family-owned startups. Strategies and plans were written at the kitchen table. Offices migrated to the family’s basement, and the home’s garage became a makeshift warehouse as the company launched with two customers: a medical clinic and a department store. At just 12 years old, current owner and president, Tim Buttweiler found himself on hands and knees sweeping dust from underneath store shelves and hauling 5-gallon pails of water for the adult crew members.  His job title on weekends and during school breaks was “Gofer”.

“In the early days, everyone pitched in to help the family business succeed. Integrity, work ethic, and humility were values learned from my parents during the businesses’ earliest years. Those core values have served our company well for over 53 years,” says Buttweiler.

Buttweiler took over the family business with his sister, Patricia (Buttweiler) Stang, in 1988 following the death of their mother. Their father passed away in 1975. Stang served as vice president through 2005 before stepping down to focus on family and pursue volunteer efforts in the St. Cloud community. Tim purchased his sister’s stake and took on a 100 percent ownership role on Dec. 31, 2011.

The BWE acquisition is 4M’s third this year, including Columbus, Ohio-based Capital Services in January and New York-based LCS Facility Group in October.  These acquisitions come after 4M’s early January news that it had received a significant investment from O2 Investment Partners, a Midwestern-based private investment firm. 4M gains 275 new Team Members and cleaning contracts comprising 160 unique job sites. The company will continue serving Greater Minnesota from BWE’s existing offices, 250 Sundial Drive, Waite Park (St. Cloud), and a Minneapolis-St. Paul metro office, 7308 Aspen Lane, Ste. 135, in Brooklyn Park. 

Buttweiler Environmental is comprised of two unique divisions: EnviroTech provides commercial janitorial services, and RestoreTech provides specialty cleaning services such as carpet cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, and electrostatic disinfection. 4M will merge both divisions under the 4M Building Solutions name and continue to build on BWE’s portfolio of medical office buildings, manufacturing and industrial spaces, educational facilities, corporate offices, multi-tenant buildings, retail and malls, and government campuses. BWE also has a niche in construction clean-up and damage restoration services.

Buttweiler said he has total confidence in a smooth transition.

“When I made the decision to transition my business, the goal was to find a company that closely aligned with the values my parents instilled in me so many years ago,” says Buttweiler. “Having known Tim Murch for over 20 years, I was keenly aware of the unparalleled integrity and operational excellence of the 4M brand. I know that 4M is invested in continuing the proud work we’ve done here and is committed to our team and their development while being uniquely capable of meeting and advancing our customers' expectations.”

With the transition, Buttweiler will remain available in a consulting capacity. Members of the Buttweiler leadership team, all company veterans, will stay on board with 4M Building Solutions. Travis Ryan, 22 years with BWE, was named regional manager; Ben Buzick, 21 years, is now a 4M district manager; and 30-year veteran Tom Galligan is the accounting/HR coordinator.

“I can speak for the entire leadership team in saying that we view this transition with the highest degree of optimism for the future,” says Ryan. “Tim Buttweiler took tremendous care to consider the security and wellbeing of our employees and customers. We are grateful, and we’re excited for what’s next.”