PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. - Simplicity Manufacturing Inc. announced Dec. 4, 2000, the purchase of Giant-Vac Manufacturing Inc., a Connecticut-based manufacturer of commercial and residential outdoor debris management equipment. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Simplicity manufactures and markets riding mowers, lawn and garden tractors and snowthrowers for the residential market. It also sells commercial mowers through Ferris Industries, a Simplicity company.
Giant-Vac manufactures commercial/industrial and residential leaf blowers (pictured above right), leaf collection systems (pictured below left), outdoor debris vacuums, outdoor debris loaders, chippers and other related turf equipment.
“This acquisition allows Simplicity to increase its sales and its presence in the outdoor power equipment market,” said James Wier, president and CEO of Simplicity. “As a company known as The Dealer Line, we can also offer our dealers and distributors a complementary product line with which to increase their business.”
“Simplicity provides the capital and management talent necessary for Giant-Vac to take advantage of future growth opportunities in its market,” says Tony Janiak, president of Giant-Vac. “This partnership will allow us to accelerate product development and manufacturing modernization to capitalize on those opportunities.”
The Giant-Vac acquisition comes exactly one year after Simplicity purchased Ferris Industries, a commercial mower manufacturer based in Munnsville, N.Y. Since then, Ferris has completed a $300,000 plant expansion; increased its workforce by 50 percent; and anticipates a 40 percent increase in sales by the end of the current model year, according to the company.
“Giant-Vac employs approximately 60 workers in its South Windham, Connecticut facility,” said Troy Blewett, manager of corporate communications for Simplicity. “Giant-Vac will continue to operate in South Windham as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Simplicity Manufacturing Inc. Tony Janiak will continue to guide Giant-Vac as its company president.”
For more information about Simplicity visit the company’s web site at www.simplicitymfg.com.