Southwire snags Sumner Manufacturing

Dec. 19, 2016
Acquisition expands Southwire’s tools and equipment offering.

Southwire Company has acquired Houston, Texas-based Sumner Manufacturing. Sumner is a manufacturer of material lifts, jack stands, welding tools, material carts and other tools and equipment for the construction market, specializing in welding and mechanical contracting industries.

“This acquisition provides a significant opportunity to help scale our tools and equipment business,” said Brandon Moss, president of Southwire’s tools and equipment division. “We will strengthen our company’s position in the contractor equipment space, develop new manufacturing capabilities and rapidly expand our presence in the industrial supply and rental channels.”

According to Southwire, the deal will bring more than 160 employees to the company and includes manufacturing operations and corporate support functions in Houston and Langfang, China, as well as sales and distribution offices in Canada, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

The two companies share only a small amount of product overlap, therefore Sumner’s existing manufacturing capabilities will be integrated into Southwire’s business operations, Southwire stated.