Our friends at Southwire Tools have been on a bit of a buying spree over the last few years with Maxis Pullers, Coleman Extension Cords and now Sumner Equipment. While Southwire is focused on electrical trades and Sumner more on the welding & mechanical trades we see a lot of reasons this acquisition makes sense for both parties. Southwire has been aggressively pursuing product development as well with products like their SIMpull Fishtapes, Bluetooth Mulitmeters or partnering with Milwaukee Tool for Southwire crimpers using the M18 battery platform, coming in Q1. It would be our hope this pursuit of product development will translate to the Sumner product line as well moving forward. We will see where it all goes but it is pretty exciting news for fans of Southwire and Sumner, see full Southwire press release below.
Acquisition strengthens & expands Southwire’s Tools and Equipment product offering
CARROLLTON, Ga., Dec. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Southwire Company, LLC announces the acquisition of Sumner Manufacturing of Houston, Texas – a recognized leading manufacturer of material lifts, jack stands, welding tools, material carts and other tools and equipment for the construction market. Sumner is a key supplier to the welding and mechanical contracting industries and has a market presence in more than 50 countries around the world.
“This acquisition provides a significant opportunity to help scale our Tools and Equipment business. Sumner’s manufacturing capabilities and distribution network will help us achieve our team’s growth expectations over the next few years,” said Brandon Moss, president of Southwire’s Tools and Equipment business. “We will strengthen our company’s position in the contractor equipment space, develop new manufacturing capabilities and rapidly expand our presence in the industrial supply and rental channels.”
The acquisition includes manufacturing operations and corporate support functions in Houston and Lang fang, China, as well as sales and distribution offices in Canada, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. The addition of Sumner will welcome more than 160 employees to the Southwire workforce.
“The purchase of Sumner is another representation of our company’s commitment to building a business that differentiates itself from our competition through innovation and excellent service,” said Norman Adkins, president of Southwire’s Construction Systems and Solutions group. “By adding this manufacturing capability to our lineup of operations, we further support our plans to grow our tools and equipment business for the long term.”
Southwire and Sumner share a small amount of product overlap; therefore, most of Sumner’s more than 350 products will help expand Southwire’s equipment catalog. Sumner’s existing manufacturing capabilities will be integrated into Southwire’s business operations and will provide customers with a comprehensive product offering of contractor equipment solutions.
“We are excited to welcome the Sumner team to the Southwire family. This acquisition supports all three of Southwire’s key strategic goals: build organizational capability, drive operational excellence and accelerate growth,” said Rich Stinson, Southwire’s president and CEO. “Each day, we seek new ways to drive innovation and help further develop an organization that will be generationally-sustainable. The addition of Sumner gives us the opportunity to look ahead into new markets and channels and expand the range of solutions we can provide to our customers.”
A leader in technology and innovation, Southwire Company, LLC, is one of North America’s largest wire and cable producers. Southwire and its subsidiaries manufacture building wire and cable, metal-clad cable, portable and electronic cord products, utility products, OEM wire products and engineered products. In addition, Southwire supplies assembled products, contractor equipment and hand tools.
