Posted May 6, 2011
Blackhawk acquires Fuchs Machinery
BlackHawk Industrial Distribution Inc. announced the acquisition of Fuchs Machinery Inc., an industrial distributor serving the MRO marketplace.
Based in Omaha, Neb., Fuchs Machinery is the third acquisition of BlackHawk Industrial and follows the recent acquisitions of Oklahoma-based Duncan Industrial Solutions and Arkansas-based Rogers Industrial Supply. With the Fuchs Machinery acquisition, BlackHawk expands its geographical footprint into the Midwest and Northern Rockies regions of the U.S with new locations in Omaha and Denver. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 1923, Fuchs Machinery distributes MRO supplies and equipment in the Nebraska and Colorado markets.
"We are excited to add the employees of Fuchs Machinery as part of growing family of operating divisions within BlackHawk Industrial," said Bill Scheller, CEO of BlackHawk Industrial. "Fuchs Machinery, led by Tom Berger, has a very long history of strong customer and vendor relationships in its local marketplace. We believe that Fuchs Machinery will be further enhanced as part of Blackhawk Industrial as a result of additional operating scale, management resources and a broader product offering."
Scheller added that BlackHawk is looking to acquire additional U.S. based distributors participating in the $400 billion-plus industrial distribution market.
"Fuchs Machinery is a great example of the type of acquisitions we are looking to add to BlackHawk Industrial. Fuchs Machinery is a strong regional player with a great reputation that maintains a leadership and business culture that values its customer and vendor relationships while maintaining its ability to have a strong technical and value added selling focus in the local market," he said.
Tom Berger will continue to lead the Fuchs Machinery Division. A former president of the Industrial Supply Association, Berger currently serves on the board of directors of supplyFORCE.
"We look to Tom to continue to grow the Fuchs Machinery Division of Blackhawk Industrial both organically and through future acquisitions in its local marketplace. Our goal is to add new sales and customer service resources to deepen our penetration in the local markets," Scheller said.
The family-owned Fuchs Machinery began selling industrial products and contractors' equipment in downtown Omaha and eventually added sales offices in Grand Island and Lincoln, Neb., Sioux City, Iowa, and Sioux Falls, S.D.
"We have been approached many times throughout the years by potential suitors," said Mike Fuchs. "We believe in BlackHawk's vision and strategy of empowering the local commercial leaders, who intimately know their local marketplaces, customers and employees. The Fuchs Machinery Division will thrive under the support and structure of the BlackHawk Industrial leadership."
