Extruder builder Entek Manufacturing Inc. has acquired one of its suppliers of material handling systems, Placentia, Calif.-based Adaptive Engineering & Fabrication Inc., which specializes in difficult-to-handle and -convey materials.
Lebanon, Ore.-based Entek and AEF have partnered on projects as customer and supplier for many years, making the combination of the companies a natural next step in providing a more streamlined platform for processors.
Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.
The two companies have each enjoyed recent significant growth, according to Kim Medford, president of Entek Manufacturing.
"Together we will be able to leverage our teams to better serve our customers. We will be even better positioned to share resources and deploy systems that will make building a plant or buying equipment solutions from the combined Entek AEF teams an even better experience," Medford said in a news release.
All AEF employees will remain with the company at its current location. Rick Buschini and Chuck Nadolski will continue to lead the sales, development and installation of material handling equipment with the support of Entek engineering and project management teams.
Buschini, vice president of material handling sales, expects the combined company will be able to grow sales in North America and beyond.
"Combining with Entek's international footprint and knowledge provides us a platform to better serve our current and future customers both domestically and internationally," Buschini said in the release.
Entek recently opened a manufacturing plant in Henderson, Nev., to build both extrusion and material handling equipment to support the growth of the combined companies. The company invested $10 million and created 50 jobs at the site.
Entek offers turnkey production extrusion systems, twin-screw extruders and components. The company has focused on extrusion technology for natural fiber-plastic composites, pelletizing, custom compounding, specialty sheet lines, food and medical applications, and plastics recycling.
The continued investment in consumer goods made from recycled plastics, such as composite decking, pushes demand for Entek products, Medford said.
AEF specialized in storage and blending systems in addition to pneumatic conveying systems for the plastics, grain, chemical, pet food, milling, baking, food processing, brewing and mineral markets.