ST. PAUL, Minn.—Minnesota Flexible Corp. has purchased fellow distributor General Rubber Co. in a deal that gives MFC entry into the Wisconsin market. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.
MFC is a fabricator of industrial hose, fittings and formed tube assemblies, while General Rubber distributes hoses and accessories for hydraulic, air, water, welding, refrigeration and other equipment.
St. Paul-based MFC had been looking for a way to enter the Wisconsin industrial market, but was searching for the right opportunity, according to MFC President Will Stewart. When he heard that General Rubber might be on the market, he contacted owner Jack Kacsur, who said he was on the verge of retiring, and the deal was made.
GRC has a headquarters, fabrication shop and warehouse in New Berlin, Wis., with a second fabrication and warehouse site in Appleton, Wis., that serves the Green Bay and Fox River Valley regions.
“We have been looking for an avenue to penetrate the eastern Wisconsin market for several years,” Stewart said. “We feel our product offerings will be an excellent fit for that marketplace.”
MFC serves the OEM, reseller and MRO customers in most industrial markets. It also has offices in Grand Rapids, Minn.; Galesburg, Ill.; and Peoria, Ill.