SMS Meer, a plant engineering company and major equipment builder for steel and nonferrous metal producing, has acquired Girard Associates, an Ohio-based engineering company. The acquisition reportedly was completed at the end of 2012. No terms of the sale have been reported.
Girard Associates has specialized in plant design and engineering for North American forging operations for over 60 years, with capabilities in systems controls, hydraulics, and robotic systems.
SMS Meer is a business unit of the SMS Group, and has heavy machinery and technical capabilities for a wide range of metallurgical industry processes, including: integrated steelmaking for flat and long products, tube and pipe plants, nonferrous metal plants, heat-treating plants and technology, and forging.
Girard’s forging-industry expertise is seen to complement an important segment of the SMS Meer market focus.
“For over 50 years Girard has been our partner in the American market and we are happy to welcome them today in the SMS family,” stated SMS Meer president and CEO Dr. Joachim Schönbeck. “Together with Girard we will be able to offer even better solutions to our customers in North America.”
In its announcement, SMS Meer noted that the companies will co-present new technologies at Forge Fair 2013.
Robert Bolin will remain in place as president and CEO of Girard.
“We are honored and excited to become part of a leading organization like SMS Meer, and we are looking forward to taking our organization to the next level with the support of SMS,” Bolin stated. “We fully expect to improve and expand our ability to engineer, service and support our customer base.”
