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CB-HDT Holdings
Chris B. Hewett formed CB-HDT Holdings from the sale of HVAC manufacturer HTPG, focusing the Ohio office on direct industrial manufacturing investments.
CB-HDT Holdings
CB-HDT Holdings was formed in 2006 after Chris B. Hewett and partners sold Heat Transfer Products Group (HTPG), a manufacturer of commercial refrigeration and HVAC components, to Monomoy Capital Partners. The transaction generated significant liquidity for Hewett, who established the family office in Solon, Ohio to manage and redeploy the capital. Hewett's operating background shapes the office's posture: rather than investing as a passive LP across diversified asset classes, CB-HDT operates as a direct investor in middle-market industrial companies where Hewett's manufacturing expertise can influence post-close operations. The office concentrates on lower-middle-market manufacturing, industrial technology, and energy-efficiency businesses — segments Hewett knows from his HTPG operating years. CB-HDT typically takes control or significant minority positions in companies with $10M to $75M in revenue, favoring founder-owned businesses with succession challenges or corporate carve-outs. The geographic focus centers on the US industrial Midwest and Southeast. Known direct investments include a precision-components manufacturer serving the aerospace and defense supply chain, and a building-products company specializing in high-efficiency insulation systems. The office structures deals as direct equity, often holding for long durations without a fixed exit timeline. CB-HDT maintains a lean structure consistent with single-family offices of its scale, operating from Hewett's Solon base without satellite offices or a large investment staff. The team, estimated at fewer than 10 professionals, draws on a network of operating partners rather than building an internal consulting corps. Hewett participates in regional manufacturing peer groups but does not maintain a public membership in club networks like Tiger 21 or YPO. In 2024, the office completed a follow-on investment in an existing portfolio company to fund an adjacent product-line acquisition (per public record). The office's structural identity stems from its operator-principal model: Hewett invests his own capital and participates in strategic decisions at portfolio companies, functioning more like an industrial holding company than an institutional family office. This blurs the line between family office and private holding entity — a pattern common among liquidity-event founders who stay close to their original industry rather than diversifying into broad financial assets.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
2006
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Solon
Corporate office
Solon, OH, United States
Principals
Chris B. Hewett
Principal
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at CB-HDT Holdings?
Chris B. Hewett, the founding principal, makes all investment decisions. Hewett previously co-led Heat Transfer Products Group, a commercial HVAC and refrigeration manufacturer sold to Monomoy Capital Partners in 2006. He brings direct operating experience to the office's industrial manufacturing focus.
Where does the underlying wealth at CB-HDT Holdings come from?
The wealth originated from the 2006 sale of Heat Transfer Products Group, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based manufacturer of commercial refrigeration and HVAC components, to private equity firm Monomoy Capital Partners. Chris B. Hewett was a principal in that business and used the liquidity event to establish the family office.
Does CB-HDT Holdings invest in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The office invests primarily through direct equity positions in operating companies. While some family offices of similar size allocate to external private equity or venture capital funds as a diversifier, CB-HDT's observable activity suggests a strong preference for direct control or significant minority stakes in industrial manufacturing and energy-efficiency businesses.
What investment stages and check sizes does CB-HDT Holdings typically target?
CB-HDT targets lower-middle-market industrial companies, typically with $10 million to $75 million in revenue. The office pursues control or significant minority positions, often in founder-owned businesses facing succession transitions or in corporate carve-outs. It does not participate in venture-stage or pre-revenue investing.
Which sectors does CB-HDT Holdings explicitly avoid?
The office concentrates exclusively on industrial manufacturing, precision components, and energy-efficiency products. Sectors outside Hewett's operating background — including software, consumer brands, healthcare, and financial services — do not appear in the portfolio. This sector concentration reflects the office's operator-principal model rather than a diversification mandate.
How does CB-HDT Holdings source proprietary deal flow?
The office sources deals through Hewett's network of manufacturing executives, regional business brokers, and industry associations concentrated in the US industrial Midwest. Unlike institutional family offices that employ dedicated origination teams, CB-HDT relies on Hewett's direct relationships and reputation among middle-market industrial company owners.
Does CB-HDT Holdings maintain philanthropic structures?
There is no publicly recorded philanthropic foundation or donor-advised fund associated with CB-HDT Holdings or Chris B. Hewett. The office's observable activity centers entirely on direct operating-company investments without a separately branded charitable entity.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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