Deal Timeline

Plotted by close date where disclosed, otherwise announcement. Select any marker to jump to the deal entry.

The Rationale That Repeats.

Three patterns show up across Illinois Tool Works's deal book — what the team buys, how it pays, and how it integrates. The patterns are the throughline; the deals below are the evidence.

01
Acquisition criteria
Few deals, deep conviction.
ITW is a serial operator, not a serial acquirer — across 1994-2026 the only material acquisitions disclosed in its own filings are Premark (1999), Foilmark (2001), Click Commerce (2006), ZF TRW EF&C (2016) and MTS Test & Simulation (2021). Each is described as a "selective high-quality acquisition" that extends an existing platform rather than entering a new one, with the FY2021 10-K framing M&A as a way to "further expand the long-term organic growth potential of ITW."
FoilmarkClick CommerceZF TRW Engineered Fasteners and Components business (EF&C)Test & Simulation business of MTS Systems Corporation (MTS)
02
Capital deployment
Buy adjacency, then apply 80/20.
ITW bolts targets directly onto an existing segment and runs them through its proprietary 80/20 front-to-back methodology. The ZF TRW EF&C release calls the business "a highly complementary addition to ITW's Automotive OEM segment" with "significant opportunity to enhance the performance of the business through the application of ITW's 80/20 business process," and management framed MTS the same way — complementary to the Instron franchise, with five-to-seven years to reach ITW-caliber margins.
FoilmarkClick CommerceZF TRW Engineered Fasteners and Components business (EF&C)Test & Simulation business of MTS Systems Corporation (MTS)
03
Integration approach
Acquisitions inside an active portfolio reshaping.
ITW's deal cadence runs alongside heavy divestiture activity — the 2011-2014 sales of the Finishing group (to Graco), Decorative Surfaces/Wilsonart (to CD&R) and Industrial Packaging (to Carlyle for $3.2B) were, in management's words, steps in "refocusing our portfolio in conjunction with our Enterprise Strategy." The MTS purchase was explicitly paired with reactivated divestiture plans, underscoring that ITW adds high-return assets while pruning lower-return ones.
FoilmarkClick CommerceZF TRW Engineered Fasteners and Components business (EF&C)Test & Simulation business of MTS Systems Corporation (MTS)

The Full Deal Book

4 acquisitions. Each entry carries the deal value, financing structure, target revenue, executive commentary, and the original SEC filing — the evidence behind the patterns above.

01 Foilmark, Inc. $51.5M
Announced Apr 2001 Closed Apr 2001 all cash
hot stamp foils / thermal transfer filmholographic security and packaging productspad printing machines and supplies

Foilmark was a manufacturer and distributor of hot stamp foils (also referred to as thermal transfer films), holographic security and packaging products, and pad printing machines and supplies. The company operated three reportable segments: thermal transfer film (TTF); holography; and pad printing machines and supplies. approximately $51.5 million (transaction valuation; $6.36 net per share in cash).

02 Click Commerce, Inc. $300.2M
Announced Sep 2006 Closed Oct 2006 all cash
on-demand supply and demand chain management softwareconsultinghosting and related services

Click Commerce was a provider of on-demand supply and demand chain management software and consulting, hosting and related services that enable users throughout the world to collaborate, in real time, with business partners across an extended enterprise. approximately $300.2 million (transaction valuation; $22.75 net per share in cash).

03 ZF TRW Engineered Fasteners and Components business (EF&C) · Headquartered in Germany; 13 manufacturing facilities globally $450M
Announced Jan 2016 Closed Jul 2016 all cash
engineered fastening systemsinterior technical components for automotive OEMs

The Engineered Fasteners and Components business (EF&C) is a leading global supplier of engineered fastening systems and interior technical components to the Automotive OEM market. Headquartered in Germany, the company operates 13 manufacturing facilities globally and employs approximately 3,500 people. approximately $450 million.

Why it was attractive
  • Highly complementary to ITW's existing Automotive OEM segment
  • significant margin-improvement opportunity through application of ITW's 80/20 business process
The Engineered Fasteners and Components business will be a highly complementary addition to ITW's Automotive OEM segment that will broaden our ability to serve our customers and further expand our long-term organic growth potential. In addition, we believe there will be significant opportunity to enhance the performance of the business through the application of ITW's 80/20 business process.Sundaram Nagarajan — Executive Vice President, Illinois Tool Works Inc.
04 Test & Simulation business of MTS Systems Corporation (MTS) $750M
Closed Dec 2021 all cash
high-performance testing and simulation systems

The MTS Test & Simulation business is a leading global supplier of high-performance testing and simulation systems and is highly complementary to ITW's existing Test & Measurement and Electronics segment. ITW acquired the business from Amphenol Corporation on December 1, 2021; its operating results are reported within the Test & Measurement and Electronics segment. $750 million (purchase price, subject to certain closing adjustments).

Why it was attractive
  • Leading global supplier of high-performance testing and simulation systems
  • highly complementary to ITW's existing Instron / Test & Measurement and Electronics franchise
  • with significant margin-improvement potential from ITW's 80/20 methodology
ITW's strategy is to further expand the long-term organic growth potential of ITW through the addition of selective high-quality acquisitions, such as the acquisition of the Test & Simulation business of MTS Systems Corporation ("MTS") from Amphenol Corporation on December 1, 2021. The MTS Test & Simulation business is a leading global supplier of high-performance testing and simulation systems and is highly complementary to the Company's existing Test & Measurement and Electronics segment.ITW FY2021 10-K — Item 1 Business / Note 3 Acquisitions
As Scott said, in December, we closed on the MTS acquisition, which we're excited about as it's a great strategic fit for ITW and highly complementary to our Instron business. We acquired Instron in 2006, and today it is a business growing consistently at 6%-7% organically, with operating margins well above the company average.Michael Larsen — SVP and CFO, Illinois Tool Works Inc. (Q4 2021 earnings call)
Post-close · earnings-call commentary

Michael Larsen, SVP and CFO (Q4 2021 earnings call): “The MTS acquisition added 1.3% [to revenue growth]. ... Specific to MTS, guidance includes full-year revenue of $400 million-$450 million, the expectation that margins are dilutive at the enterprise level by approximately 50 basis points, and finally, consistent with what we've said before, EPS neutral. ... we're really excited about MTS because the business model has never been more powerful than it is today.”

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