Southwire Company acquired Sumner Manufacturing of Houston, Texas, a leading manufacturer of material lifts, jack stands, welding tools, material carts and other tools and equipment for the construction market. Sumner is a key supplier to the welding and mechanical contracting industries.

The acquisition includes manufacturing operations and corporate support functions in Houston and Langfang, China, as well as sales and distribution offices in Canada, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. The addition of Sumner will welcome more than 160 employees to the Southwire workforce.

Southwire Company, is one of North America's largest wire and cable producers. Southwire and its subsidiaries manufacture building wire and cable, metal-clad cable, portable and electronic cord products, utility products, OEM wire products and engineered products. In addition, Southwire supplies assembled products, contractor equipment and hand tools.

"This acquisition provides a significant opportunity to help scale our Tools and Equipment business. Sumner's manufacturing capabilities and distribution network will help us achieve our team's growth expectations over the next few years," said Brandon Moss, president of Southwire's Tools and Equipment business. "We will strengthen our company's position in the contractor equipment space, develop new manufacturing capabilities and rapidly expand our presence in the industrial supply and rental channels."

"The purchase of Sumner is another representation of our company's commitment to building a business that differentiates itself from our competition through innovation and excellent service," said Norman Adkins, President of Southwire's Construction Systems and Solutions group. "By adding this manufacturing capability to our lineup of operations, we further support our plans to grow our tools and equipment business for the long term."

According to company officials Southwire and Sumner share a small amount of product overlap; therefore, most of Sumner's more than 350 products will help expand Southwire's equipment catalog. Sumner's existing manufacturing capabilities will be integrated into Southwire's business operations and will provide customers with a comprehensive product offering of contractor equipment solutions.

"We are excited to welcome the Sumner team to the Southwire family. This acquisition supports all three of Southwire's key strategic goals: build organizational capability, drive operational excellence and accelerate growth," said Rich Stinson, Southwire's President & CEO. "Each day, we seek new ways to drive innovation and help further develop an organization that will be generationally-sustainable. The addition of Sumner gives us the opportunity to look ahead into new markets and channels and expand the range of solutions we can provide to our customers."