Lawson Completes Rutland Tool Acquisition

Jason Sandefur

Lawson Products Inc. completed the $15 million acquisition of Whittier, CA-based Rutland Tool & Supply Co., a distributor of metalworking tools, machine tools, fasteners and related MRO supplies. Rutland Tool was a subsidiary of Airgas Inc.
Rutland Tool operates facilities in Whittier, Santa Ana, Chatsworth and San Jose, CA; Houston; Phoenix; and Suwanee, GA. The firm generated sales of $47 million in its fiscal year ended March 31, 2005. Rutland Tool’s product line includes bolts, nuts, socket head cap screws and pins.
Lawson hopes the acquisition will expand its product lines into the machine tool industry while boosting its presence in critical Western markets.
To boost response time, Lawson plans to invest in Rutland Tools’ warehousing and distribution operations in the Los Angeles area to handle organic growth, as well as localizing distribution of other Lawson products.
In addition, Rutland Tool facilities will be used as a major entry point for imported products. Lawson will also use the site as a packaging center. Web: lawsonproducts.com �2005 FastenerNews.com