Milwaukee-based International Thermal Systems has acquired the business assets of Continental Equipment Corporation, also in Milwaukee.
ITS makes industrial ovens, furnaces, washer systems and associated material handling equipment. It also has a manufacturing and sales facility in Shanghai, China and a sales office in Surrey, United Kingdom.
Acquiring Continental has allowed ITS to expand its industrial parts washer product line with another seven to nine products, said a company spokesperson.
“The acquisition expands our industrial parts washer line to include Belt, Cabinet, Monorail, Rotary Drum, and Spray Quench Systems in addition to Pallet and Case Washer Systems,” said Marshall Joas, general manager of Washer Systems for ITS. “The Ice Builder equipment serving the dairy and food & beverage market is a major addition to our product line.”
Continental’s facility, which was less than 50,000 square feet, closed after the acquisition. Five Continental employees joined ITS, which now has 88 employees.
ITS would not disclose the total previous employment at Continental, but said it was a very small operation. Some retired, and those who wished to work at ITS have transitioned, the spokesperson said.
“Within recent years, our corporate mission has followed a path to expand our Parts Washer System Division. Our acquisition of Continental Equipment Corporation brings us one step closer to that goal,” said John Zea, president of International Thermal Systems.
