Buhler Industries Inc. of Winnipeg has entered reinforced plastic composites by purchasing Brekmar Industries Ltd., one of its suppliers.
Brekmar makes glass-fiber-reinforced agricultural components and tanks at its 50-employee plant in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It supplies parts to Buhler's tractor-manufacturing operation, an arrangement that represents about a quarter of Brekmar's sales, according to Craig Engel, Buhler president and chief operating officer.
Brekmar is a good fit with Buhler, Engel said in a telephone interview. Brekmar is partly integrated with Buhler's tractor business and is a manufacturing company, the kind of business Buhler likes to acquire.
Brekmar will keep its name, and Buhler plans to expand the plant by adding staff and reorganizing the layout.
One of Brekmar's former co-owners, Loretta Markusa, will continue with Brekmar as operations manager.
Engel did not disclose terms of the Aug. 30 deal.
Winnipeg-based Buhler is a public company traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The firm manufactures farm equipment at five plants in North America.