Throughline Communications supports companies, investors, and counsel through transactions, transitions, and other business-critical moments where communications affect confidence, continuity, and valuation. Our work helps align leadership, employees, customers, investors, and external stakeholders around a clear transaction narrative before, during, and after the deal.
CASE STUDIES | Corporate Transactions
Avista Pharma Solutions
AVISTA PHARMA
Improving
Market
Visibility
Supporting M&A Value Creation Through
Strategic Acquisitions + Post-Deal Integration
Situation
Avista Pharma Solutions, an investor-backed pharmaceutical CDMO, needed to improve market visibility, strengthen internal alignment and increase valuation during strategic acquisitions and post-deal integration. Throughline worked with Ampersand Capital, legal counsel and Avista CEO to unify the business around a clear “One Company” narrative.
Strategy
Throughline developed an integrated M&A communications and post-acquisition branding program that positioned Avista as a larger, more cohesive and growth-ready CDMO. The campaign aligned leadership, employees, brand, industry profile and external marketing around a single value proposition: Avista delivered scientific expertise and business performance beyond science.
Deliverables
• M&A communications strategy supporting strategic acquisitions and post-deal integration
• “One Company” internal and external messaging platform
• CEO, leadership and employee communications
• Branding
• Integration communications to employees and stakeholders
• Trade-show branding redesign
• Sales and marketing collateral
• Thought leadership and industry visibility PR campaign
Outcome
• Helped position Avista for acquisition by Cambrex for $252 million
• Supported Ampersand Capital’s exit goal in roughly half the expected time
• Strengthened internal confidence and external credibility around Avista’s growth story
• Increased market share of voice by 50%
• Turned strategic acquisitions and post-deal integration into a valuation-supporting brand and communications platform
Alliance One International / Pyxus
ALLIANCE ONE
Transition Support
Reframing a Corporate Pivot for Investors and Stakeholders
Situation
Alliance One International, now Pyxus (OTCID: PYYX), needed communications support during a significant corporate transition involving turnaround messaging and entry into the cannabis sector. The move affected investor perception, corporate credibility and shareholder confidence.
Strategy
Throughline framed the company’s move as part of a broader business transformation, not a narrow cannabis-sector bet. The communications strategy connected management’s turnaround progress, diversification strategy and future growth narrative in language credible to investors, employees and external stakeholders.
Deliverables
• Investor communications strategy tied to corporate transformation and market confidence
• CEO investor call script and pro forma talking points
• Media response guidance for a high-sensitivity investor and corporate transition issue
• Corporate narrative around pivot strategy, sector diversification and future value
• Investor, employee and media Q&A scripting for management
Outcome
• Strengthened investor confidence in management’s transformation strategy
• Reinforced corporate brand credibility during a high-scrutiny pivot
• Supported a significant and sustained stock-price increase post-quarterly reporting period
Colliers / Cassidy Turley
COLLIERS/CASSIDY TURLEY
Corporate
Transaction
Strategy
Supporting Brand Valuation Through
a Commercial Real Estate Roll-Up
Situation
Colliers International was being acquired as part of a national corporate transaction strategy driven by Cassidy Turley Commercial Real Estate Services. The deal required communications to support a roll-up strategy while preserving client confidence, brand equity and market credibility.
Strategy
Throughline’s role was to help communicate the transaction as a value-creating combination rather than a disruptive ownership change. The communications approach focused on continuity, market strength, client service and the benefits of combining capabilities and talent across a larger commercial real estate platform.
Deliverables
• Corporate transaction communications strategy
• Client and market-facing message platform
• Employee and customer Q&A
• Branding
• Post-integration communications framework
• Media relations and external positioning support tied to transaction and future valuation
Outcome
• Preserved client confidence and retention
• Supported management reputation during ownership change
• Reinforced the combined organization’s market credibility and brand reputation
• Helped align internal and external audiences around the strategic roll-up value
• Re-set expectations of service continuity, scale and future growth potential
Maryland + Virginia Milk Cooperative
MAOLA
Plant Closing Messaging
Explaining a Plant Closing
Within a Changing Industry Reality
Situation
Maryland & Virginia Milk Cooperative (MDVA) needed to manage communications around the divestiture of its Maola milk brand, which entailed layoffs and plant closings in North Carolina. The decision affected employees, customers, farmers, local communities and public and customer sentiment.
Strategy
Throughline reframed the plant closing from a stand-alone job-loss story to a market-driven business decision shaped by dairy-industry economics. The strategy connected declining fluid milk consumption, consolidation, shipping efficiency and plant geography to MDVA’s need to protect its long-term stability.
Deliverables
• Business rationale narrative tied to industry economics and cooperative stability
• Counsel-aligned plant-closing communications strategy
• Employee and stakeholder messaging
• Media relations
• Community + customer communications
• Issues-management planning for public and community reaction
Outcome
• Positioned the decision as part of responsible long-term business stewardship
• Preserved brand trust in Maola and MDVA during a difficult transition period
• Mitigated brand reputational risk around a sensitive workforce and community issue
• Protected the cooperative’s credibility through clear business rationale narrative
• Upheld stakeholder confidence with consistent messaging and a single source of truth for media inquiries
U.S. Golf Association (USGA)/Pinehurst Resort
USGA/PINEHURST
Securing
Economic
Development
Securing a Long-Term Economic
Development Win for North Carolina
Situation
The United States Golf Association and Pinehurst Resort pursued a major site selection and incentive recruitment initiative to bring new USGA facilities to Pinehurst, North Carolina, along with a series of five U.S. Open Championships over the next 30 years. Throughline Communications supported the deal by collaborating with Sanford Holshouser Economic Development Consulting on behalf of USGA and Pinehurst Resort.
Strategy
Throughline worked closely with Sanford Holshouser to interpret and convert complex economic and fiscal impact data into concise, comprehensible fundraising collateral. The strategy centered on visually making the USGA/Pinehurst deal value highly compelling to decision-makers by illustrating the connections and impact of championship frequency, new facilities, jobs, tourism, tax revenue, statewide brand exposure and long-term economic development opportunities.
Deliverables
• USGA + Pinehurst Resort economic impact fundraising collateral: Building a Unified Vision for Championship Golf in North Carolina
• Brand-aligned narrative connecting USGA’s long-term commitment to Pinehurst Resort and statewide economic impact
• Key message platform supporting site selection and incentive recruitment
• Talking points for use with state government, civic and community stakeholders
Outcome
• Positioned USGA’s long-term commitment to Pinehurst Resort as a major economic development and brand-reputation win for North Carolina
• Deal announcement generated favorable 1.0B readership/viewership media exposure
• Supported $18M General Assembly appropriation over 5 years through a grant agreement with NC Department of Commerce
• Strengthened deal alignment among USGA, Pinehurst Resort, state officials, Moore County, the Village of Pinehurst and the Golden LEAF Foundation