Insights
Notes on long-term ownership
Letters, perspectives, and news from Northvale and its companies.
Annual letter · March 2026
What twenty-seven years of holding taught us
Our chair on capital, succession, and patience.
Every spring we write to our families and partners. This year marks twenty-seven years since our first acquisition, and fourteen companies in the group.
The lesson that keeps repeating is simple. Good businesses compound when owners leave them alone to do what they do well, and step in only when capital or governance can help.
Perspective · September 2026
Why family businesses choose permanent owners
Three founders on what mattered when they decided to sell.
Selling a family business is rarely about price alone. We asked three founders what tipped their decision.
All three named continuity first. They wanted their employees, customers, and suppliers to see the same company the next morning.
News · July 2026
Fieldline Materials opens second plant in Lyon
The expansion doubles capacity for specialty ceramics.
Fieldline Materials has opened its second production plant in Lyon, doubling capacity for technical ceramics used in semiconductor and medical equipment.
The plant adds 60 jobs and uses heat recovery from its kilns to warm the neighboring workshop.
Perspective · May 2026
Succession without a sale
How we help second-generation leaders take over.
Many of our companies are on their second or third leader since joining the group. Planning starts years ahead.
We pair incoming leaders with mentors from other portfolio companies and give them a seat at board meetings before they take the role.
News · February 2026
Halverson adds frozen capacity in Alberta
A new facility serves growers and pharmacies across the Prairies.
Halverson Cold Chain has opened a 40,000-pallet frozen facility near Calgary.
The site is built to pharmaceutical standards and runs on a heat-pump system that cuts energy use by a third compared with older plants.
Perspective · November 2025
How we think about debt
Why conservative leverage is a feature, not a constraint.
Debt can make good years better and bad years fatal. We set firm limits so no single downturn can force a sale.
Each company borrows on its own, with no cross-guarantees. The holding company carries no debt at all.
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Northvale
Permanent capital for enduring businesses
Northvale Holdings acquires and holds durable companies in essential industries.
© 2026 Northvale Holdings. All rights reserved.
Fictional company for demonstration.