Colfax (NYSE:CFX) is a leading manufacturer of pumps, gas handling products and welding equipment. The company was founded by Mitch and Steve Rales, who also founded the Danaher Corporation. They, along with several Danaher alums, created the Colfax Business System (CBS), which is modeled after the highly successful Danaher Business System. CBS is a both a management philosophy and a set of tools based on the concept of continuous improvement. Colfax believes that it can apply CBS to drive organic sales growth and expand margins at its current businesses in addition to future bolt-on and platform acquisitions. Although the company is experiencing declining sales as several of its primary end markets, including oil & gas, power generation and mining are suffering through an extended downturn, we believe that Colfax will manage through this period and emerge larger and stronger.
From Wallace Weitz (Trades, Portfolio)'s fourth quarter 2015 Partners Value Fund commentary.
