Waukesha-based
American Iron & Alloys, LLC (AIA), a supplier of cast iron, bronze bar, tubing, and other metal components, has been acquired by De Pere-based
The Lawton Standard Co. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Lawton Standard specializes in high alloy and complicated metallurgical castings. It is the parent company of The C.A. Lawton Co.; Temperform, LLC; Penn-Mar Castings, LLC; QESC, LLC; and Northern Iron & Machine. The acquisition of AIA is part of Lawton Standard’s overall expansion strategy.
“We have been exploring ways – both via acquisition and organically – to augment our production efforts and further serve the marketplace,” said
Alex Lawton, CEO of Lawton Standard. “From the moment I met AIA’s founder and president, Rick Janes, and his team, I felt we found a great fit. Working with AIA and Versa-Bar is a springboard to our developing services, including a distribution arm. We will support AIA’s growth as it works to support our foundries and their customers. When we look back in several years, both parties and all stakeholders will be astounded at what has been accomplished.”
AIA primarily provides ductile and gray iron in round, square, and rectangular bars under the Versa-Bar brand. The bars can be processed into cut-length, tubed, milled, or slit to plate configurations.
Lawton told BizTimes Media on Friday that AIA will continue operating under its own name, as will Versa-Bar.
"We will co-brand now that they are a Lawton Standard company," said Lawton.
Leadership from both companies will remain, although Lawton said current President Rick Janes "may move into a project and growth role in the future." All 18 AIA employees will retain their positions.
“We had known of C.A. Lawton for many years as a foundry leader. They had even been a customer of AIA for their pattern shop materials. When I was first introduced to Lawton Standard, I quickly saw where they could be a great fit for AIA,” said
Janes. “Their strategy and focus on foundry-related businesses and locations were an obvious attraction for what I aspired to with AIA’s distribution capabilities. They have now brought that to the table for AIA and Versa-Bar. Alex Lawton saw this, and we quickly got to work to see how well these synergies would fit.”
