What’s Happening
SPS Companies and State Steel acquire Kooima Co.
SPS Companies Inc., a Saint Louis Park, Minnesota-based distributor of plumbing and fire protection sprinkler pipe and accessories, and State Steel Supply Co., a Sioux City, Iowa-based distributor and processor of a wide range of flat-rolled and long products, have signed an agreement to acquire the parts fabrication assets of Kooima Co., a laser process fabricator in Rock Valley, Iowa. Phil Kooima, who founded Kooima Co. in 1988, will continue to helm the company alongside his management team: Greg De Jager, president; Mike Altena, CFO; and Jeremy Van Zee, vice president.
Three equipment companies merge
Mathey Dearman Inc., which makes tools to cut, bevel, clamp and life pipe and tube products, is merging with B&B Pipe and Industrial Tools LLC and TAG Pipe Equipment Specialist Ltd. into a single corporation. Each brand name will continue as before. The merged organization is called Specialized Fabrication Equipment Group or The SFE Group. With investor backing, The SFE Group will look to expand into the welding and industrial equipment channels with add-on acquisitions of other leading brands.
Aerospace manufacturer adds metalforming capability
Williams Aerospace and Manufacturing has completed its acquisition of metalforming equipment formerly used by Titanium Specialties Inc. (TSI), and it has leased a fabrication facility in Taft, California. TSI had a long history of being tooled to manufacture a wide range of legacy formed metal assemblies for aerospace applications. WAM now owns equipment and tooling that enables it to manufacture complex formed sheet metal assemblies in house. This capability includes drop-hammer, hydroforming, and hot forming equipment that will be used to transform aerospace grades of aluminum, carbon, stainless steel, and titanium into aircraft integrated assemblies.
German logistics firm builds new warehouse
IMA Schelling Germany, which services nonferrous metalworking operations in North America, is expanding its logistics capacity by erecting a new central warehouse at its headquarters in Lübbecke, Germany. Installation is scheduled to begin in March and the logistics center will open in August.
Miller Electric, AWS to award scholarships
Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Appleton, Wisconsin, is celebrating its 90th anniversary by providing 90 scholarships for welding students in 2020. Miller and the American Welding Society Foundation will award selected students with a $2,000 scholarship to support their welding education, for a total of $180,000 in scholarships. Students 18 years or older who are enrolled in a full-time welding education program are eligible for scholarships. Applicants must have a high school diploma or proof of graduation eligibility, a GPA of 2.5 or higher and be a U.S. citizen.
Behringer celebrates 100 years
Behringer GmbH celebrated its 100th anniversary in December 2019. August Behringer founded a small locksmith and mechanical workshop in the village center of Kirchardt, Germany, in 1919. Today, Behringer GmbH is a family business run by the grandchildren of the founder, Rolf and Christian Behringer. Most Behringer saw machines produced are exported to over 80 countries. Sales and service offices in the U.S., France, China and the United Kingdom and over 30 agencies worldwide underline the international focus.
