Minarik Acquires Assets of Utah Motion Control Distributor Automation Technology

April 22, 2011
Automation distributor Minarik Corp. made its first significant expansion since being acquired last summer by Kaman Industrial Technologies, Windsor,

Automation distributor Minarik Corp. made its first significant expansion since being acquired last summer by Kaman Industrial Technologies, Windsor, Conn., acquiring the assets of Automation Technology, Inc., Boise, Idaho, a motion-control and automation distributor with a second location in Salt Lake City. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The addition of Automation Technology's two locations will expand Minarik and Kaman Industrial's presence in the Intermountain and Pacific Northwest trading areas, where Minarik has existing locations in Portland, Ore., Seattle and Denver.

Automation Technology (not connected with another automation distributor by the same name based in Concord, N.C., and operating throughout the southeast United States) specializes in electro-mechanical automation systems, components and related products and services. Product lines include machine controllers; step motors, drives and encoders; gearheads, actuators and bearings; sensors; and machine safety equipment as well as industrial computers and interface boards.

As with most automation distributors, Automation Technology provides a range of technical application engineering and consulting services.

Minarik and Kaman Industrial are looking to the acquisition for market knowledge and technical expertise, particularly in original equipment manufacturing (OEM) markets to supplement their existing offerings in maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products, the companies' executives said in a release.

The companies will retain their separate identities and trade names, Kaman Industrial said. The acquisition is Minarik's seventh acquisition in just over ten years.

Kaman's $39 million acquisition of Minarik last June brought together the largest distributor of motion control products with Kaman's existing offerings in power transmission. With the addition of Automation Technology, Kaman Industrial Technologies now has 200 customer service centers and five distribution centers throughout North America.

Kaman Industrial Technologies' offerings include more than four million items from bearings and mechanical power transmission to electrical, material handling, motion control, fluid power, automation and MRO supplies. Kaman also provides engineering, design and support for automation, electrical, linear, hydraulic and pneumatic systems as well as belting and rubber fabrication, customized mechanical services, hose assemblies, repair, fluid analysis and motor management.