Duravant, a maker of equipment used in the food processing, packaging and material handling sectors, has acquired QC Industries, a maker of conveyor systems. Warburg Pincus acquired Duravant in June 2017 from Odyssey Investment Partners which acquired the company in May 2013.
QC Industries is a manufacturer of conveyor systems, specializing in low profile conveyor designs and technologies. The company has three product lines: its Automation Series conveyors are built using a rigid aluminum frame, its Sanitary Series conveyors are built on easy-to-clean stainless steel frames and its Industrial Series conveyors are constructed with a single-piece steel frame. QC’s conveyors are customizable and are used by original equipment manufacturers and integrators across an array of industries and applications in the food, beverage, consumer packaged goods, foodservice, automotive, pharmaceutical, and medical industries.
QC Industries, led by CEO David Dornbach, was founded in 1981 and is headquartered near Cincinnati in Batavia, OH (www.qcconveyors.com).
Duravant is a manufacturer of engineered equipment that operates through three segments – food processing, packaging machinery and material handling. Duravant, led by CEO Mike Kachmer, is headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove, IL (www.duravant.com). “Our partnership with QC Industries extends our overall solutions offering across our processing, packaging and material handling sectors,” said Mr. Kachmer. “Duravant has experienced tremendous growth in recent years by developing an evolving set of value-added solutions for our customers. QC Industries will certainly accelerate our efforts.”
Duravant’s food processing segment’s products are mainly used in the processing of pork, beef and chicken products for major food companies and are organized into three primary categories: pumps, fillers and dicers, and thermal equipment. This segment’s brand names include Marlen and Carruthers.
The packaging machinery segment’s product line is comprised of components and systems that fill, close, weigh and handle open mouth bags. The segment operates globally under the Fischbein brand name and provides a range of products from manual to semi-automated and fully-automated machines. These products serve a variety of end markets, including agriculture, food, pet food, chemicals and building products.
Duravant’s material handling segment manufactures conveying products that are used in distribution centers and retail stores for the loading and unloading of trucks. The company has a strong market position under the Flexible Material Handling and Best Conveyors brand names and provides products to both online and physical retailers.
Warburg Pincus has more than $44 billion in assets under management and has raised 16 private equity funds since its founding in 1966. In November 2015, the firm reached a final close of Warburg Pincus Private Equity XII LP at the hard cap of $12 billion. Warburg Pincus is headquartered in New York with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Mauritius, San Francisco, São Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore (www.warburgpincus.com).
© 2018 Private Equity Professional | March 12, 2018
