N.E.W. Plastics Corp. is expanding the company's upper Midwest base through the acquisition of Fulcrum Inc., a custom blow molder.
“We feel the services Fulcrum brings to the table aligns with our strategic growth,” said Mike Rekitzke, CEO of N.E.W., in a statement.
Fulcrum is based St. Paul, Minn., and manufactures products ranging in size from 10 cc to 2.5 gallons. The company serves the agricultural chemical, oil, lubricant, household chemical, industrial chemical, personal care and pet care segments.
N.E.W. is located in Luxemburg, Wis., and also blow molds rigid plastic containers up to 3 gallons. The company is known for pioneering the plastic lumber business more than 40 years ago.
“We anticipate continued growth at both locations and are excited about additional offerings of products and services to current and prospective clients,” Rekitzke said.
The plants are located about 300 miles apart.
“Our services at Fulcrum will provide an opportunity for growth and increased service to both organizations' customer bases. We felt this move was a natural fit because of the emphasis placed by both parties on maintaining customer and employee relations and into where we wanted to bring this company,” said Fulcrum owner and President Samir Mehta in a statement.
N.E.W. — short for Northeast Wisconsin — was founded in 1968 by Irvin and Nancy Vincent. The company is a second-generation, family-owned business that makes blow molded rigid plastic containers, plastic lumber and components from both recycled and prime materials. Annual sales are $50 million, the company said.
The company has more than 200 employees, and Fulcrum has 23 workers.
Brothers Lynie and Vern Vincent, owners of N.E.W., issued a statement that reads, in part: “We feel the synergies between the companies will help propel growth in our organization as well as the partners and clients we service.”