Two ferrous foundries, C.A. Lawton Co. and Temperform, have merged to form a "specialty metals platform" that will promote both businesses. While their cast products are described as "complimentary," the combination will allow each foundry to access to the other’s products and improve their respective "value-added offerings" for customers in various industries.
No name has been announced for the resulting organization, and financial terms of the "long-term acquisition and expansion strategy" were not reported. The effort is being coordinated by Oakland Standard, a Michigan-based private equity term. The holding company will be headed by C.A. Lawton CEO Alex Lawton, who commented: “We are excited to leverage our family’s 140+ years in the marketplace to grow and develop not only The C.A. Lawton Co., but its new partner, Temperform, and future partner organizations.”
The day-to-day operations will remain the same at both foundries, according to the announcement.
C.A. Lawton is a gray and ductile iron foundry in De Pere, WI, that produces large-dimension castings and machined components for OEMs in the HVAC, municipal pump and valve, mining, and power generation industries.
Temperform, in Novi, MI, produces smaller (10 to 6,000 lbs.) steel and stainless-steel castings used in corrosive, high-temperature applications.
“We are building a specialty metals platform with improved outcomes for the people who rely on it and the environment, community, and marketplaces we inhabit," according to Alex Lawton. "It starts with creating and maintaining a place people want to work for, buy from, and sell to. From there, we can develop unique offerings based on the capabilities we’ve assembled."
In addition to Lawton, the board will include Tim Flannery and Dan Bickersteth of Oakland Standard as directors.
Barry Adamski will remain president of C.A. Lawton, and Blake Albritton will remain president of Temperform.