Black Fern LLC · Dan Schaffer · Atlanta, GA

The operator PE firms and
advisory groups deploy when
manufacturing performance
needs a sustainable change.

Engaged directly or through leading advisory firms including Crowe, Proudfoot, Synergetics, and Tri-Vista — the same resource, the same outcomes.

$150M+

Cumulative EBITDA benefits

60+

Global engagements

30 yrs

Manufacturing operations

12+

Countries deployed

Get in Touch View Results

Who I Serve

Three doors.
One operator.

01 — Private Equity

PE Sponsors & Portfolio Boards

Post-acquisition throughput scaling, carve-out execution, and EBITDA improvement ahead of exit. Deployed directly by investment committees and boards. Sole advisor on the majority of recent PE portfolio turnarounds.

02 — Advisory Groups

Business Advisory Firms

Trusted delivery resource for Crowe, Proudfoot, Synergetics, Tri-Vista, and others. Deployable solo or as team augmentation. Repeat deployment by the same firms is the proof — realization targets are met, client relationships protected.

03 — Direct Manufacturers

Manufacturers — Direct Engagement

The same operator advisory firms deploy — available direct. Fractional GM, interim operations leader, or embedded advisor. Embeds with your existing team and coaches them to a level they couldn't reach alone. No overhead, same outcomes.

What I Do

Coach. Mentor. Advise.
From the floor up.

M&A Integration & Carve-Out Execution

Post-merger operational integration and facility consolidation — equipment relocation, process mapping, cultural alignment — on-time and on-budget.

Throughput & Capacity Liberation

Systematic bottleneck identification and elimination. Consistent track record of 25–150% throughput gains without proportional headcount or capital increases.

Executive & Supervisor Coaching

Behavioral coaching of COOs, Plant Managers, and frontline supervisors — building sustainable accountability systems and operational cultures that hold long after the engagement ends.

Lean / Six Sigma Transformation

Value stream mapping, Kaizen facilitation, manufacturing cell redesign. Six Sigma Master Black Belt. 30+ years of applied execution across sectors and cultures.

Performance Accountability Systems

Real-time KPI infrastructure that makes plant performance visible and undeniable. Leadership alignment issues surface in the data — resolved through transparency, not authority.

Global & Multicultural Deployment

Multinational plant leadership across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Operational change that sticks across languages, cultures, and time zones.

Selected Results

Results that hold
after I leave.

Sector and outcome only — client confidentiality maintained.

Steel Fabrication · PE-Backed · Board Appointment

Doubled throughput — $20M revenue capacity added

Eliminated second shift, cut overtime 50%, reduced WIP scrap 90%. Real-time accountability metrics embedded into existing leadership for lasting results.

Steel & Aluminum Fabrication · PE-Backed · Presidential Appointment

150% throughput acceleration — ~$58M unlocked

Run-rate from $38M to $96M. EBITDA improvement exceeding 100%. Lead times cut 30%.

Steel Enclosure Fabrication · Caterpillar Supply Chain · PE-Backed

3 to 7 units per week — 133% capacity increase validated

Kanban-based parts tracking, defined workcells, combined shifts. Delivered results over active COO resistance through data transparency.

Medical Device · Heart Catheter Fabrication · PE-Backed

Post-merger integration — 35% production line throughput gain

Full value stream mapping of fabrication and packaging lines. Equipment utilization optimization reduced costs within 90 days.

Plastics & Resins · Public Company · 5 Countries

~$8M annualized P&L savings across international plants

+48% China, +43% Indonesia, +16% Germany. Multicultural supervisor coaching across three continents.

Chemical & Fertilizer Processing · PE-Backed

50% immediate production increase — zero capital

Reactor modifications and Lean workflow redesign. 35% sustained baseline productivity improvement.

Large Capital Industrial · Koch Industries Facility

$4.5M annualized savings — zero capital investment

Energy utilization optimization via proprietary DOE regression modeling. Pure analytical and behavioral intervention — no CapEx required.

Cumulative EBITDA benefits

$150M+

60+ global engagements

Throughput improvement range

25–150%

Without proportional headcount increases

Typical PE portfolio EBITDA impact

50–100%+

Per engagement

WIP inventory recovered

$9M+

Single solder alloy engagement

Facility consolidation ROI

10 : 1

Precision manufacturing carve-out

No-capital energy savings

$4.5M

Large capital industrial, Koch Industries facility

How Change Actually Happens

Performance systems that create accountability.

"The truth about your plant's leadership shows up in the data."

Every engagement installs real-time shop floor performance metrics that make results — and resistance — visible. Incumbent operators who aren't performing can no longer hide from the numbers. They get on board, self-select out, or are identified for replacement. Change happens through transparency, not authority. That's why it sticks.

The operator PE firms and advisory groups deploy when manufacturing performance needs a sustainable change.

Three doors.One operator.