In a blockbuster acquisition, NSI Industries, Huntersville, NC, today announced the acquisition of Bridgeport Fittings Inc., the Stratford, CT-based market manufacturer of American-made electrical fittings for cable and conduit installations.
In the press release announcing the deal NSI said the acquisition supplements its “strong organic growth and its ability to penetrate important vertical industries and markets, while offering one of the broadest product, service and solution portfolios serving the electrical marketplace.” The company also acquired Platinum Tools in March 2019.
“The (Bridgeport) acquisition further accelerates our growth as an electrical products company focused on providing innovative, profitable and quality solutions to our distributor partners,” said G. R. Schrotenboer, CEO, NSI Industries, in the press release. “The Bridgeport product portfolio is completely complementary to our electrical solutions, and together we have the ability to successfully serve all of our markets with a more comprehensive set of solutions.”
Bridgeport Fittings manufactures electrical fittings including couplings, conduit bodies, transition fittings, bushings, solar connectors and more. Its portfolio includes over 2,500 products and 172 patents. The company’s products service the healthcare, hospitality, educational, commercial, retail, light industrial, residential and renewable energy industries. It has more than 170 product patents.
Paul Suzio, Bridgeport Fittings’ president and chief COO, said in the press release that both companies focus on developing innovative new products, customer service and products and job-site solutions “that help contractors and get on and off of the job quickly, safely and cost-effectively.”
Bridgeport Fittings employs approximately 200 people and will continue to operate out its Stratford location. Del Auray, CEO and co-owner of the 94-year-old Bridgeport Fittings said in the press release, “We have completely modernized the plant in recent years, making a significant investment in new machinery and equipment. We are thrilled that NSI recognizes the formidable strategic value and we are confident NSI will continue to invest and innovate.”
Bridgeport Fittings was one of the market’s larger family-owned manufacturers and has a long a proud history in the electrical wholesaling industry.
The company was founded in 1925 by Adelbert Auray and Neil Hayes as the Bridgeport Switch Co., and initially focused on manufacturing switches, bells, buzzers and receptacles. The company changed its focus to conduit and cable fittings in 1936, and changed its name to Bridgeport Fittings in 1954. It was one of the first manufacturers to bar code its products, adopting the technology in 1987.