K-Tron completes Premier acquisition

19 October 2006

K-Tron International Inc, worldwide designer and producer of materials handling equipment and systems, has acquired Premier Pneumatics Inc for US$27.565 million. Premier manufactures pneumatic conveying and bulk handling equipment and has over 50 years of expertise in the market. The company’s main products include the Aerolock® rotary valve, Series II 2400 vacuum receiver, blower package and diverter valve product lines.

The company says that the acquisition will extend the scope of its activities in the pneumatic conveying business and solids feeding business. The company also claims that customers will be better served, as the engineering, manufacturing and after-sale services of their pneumatic conveying and feeding systems will come from a single source.

Kevin Bowen, senior vice president of K-Tron, will be the new president of Premier. Members of the Premier operating management will retain their positions including Todd Smith, vice-president engineering and manufacturing, Mike Wedel, vice-president sales and marketing, and Gary Lee, vice-president finance.