Global Fastener News

John Wolz

Barnes Group Inc. acquired Curtis Industries Inc.
Curtis will be combined with Barnes Group�s Bowman Distribution to form Barnes Distribution. Curtis CEO Keith Drewett and COO Idelle Wolf will hold the same titles in the new Barnes Distribution.
The combined organization will continue to use separate sales staffs and market its MRO, security and specialty spring product lines under the brand names of Bowman, Raymond, Curtis and Mechanics Choice in North America.
Curtis, Motalink and Raymond brand names are used in the UK, and Autoliaisons and Raymond are used in France.
Mayfield Heights, OH-based Curtis distributes MRO supplies and security products for the industrial and automotive markets. Curtis had $80 million in sales in 1999.
Drewett said the �combination of Curtis and Bowman will create a powerful force in MRO supply with unique field service and technology-based solutions for industrial, auto dealer and truck fleet customers.�
Curtis was a subsidiary of privately held Paragon Corporate Holdings Inc. of Niles, IL. Curtis and A.B. Dick/Multigraphics were its two main businesses. Paragon reported net sales of $248 million last year.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Barnes CEO Edmund Carpenter said the acquisition �will help the Barnes Group to increase our distribution market leadership and continue to expand our presence globally.�
Bristol, CT-based Barnes Group, founded in 1857, manufactures precision metal parts and distributes industrial supplies, and had sales of $622 million in 1999.