Leggett & Platt Commercial Vehicle Products Group Completes Acquisition of Gamber-Johnson
STEVENS POINT, Wis., March 13: Leggett & Platt Commercial Vehicle Products (CVP) Group has completed the transfer of ownership transaction of Gamber-Johnson, renowned manufacturer of rugged docking stations and vehicle mounts. The CVP Group, comprised of industry leading manufacturers Masterack, Crown North America, Team Fenex and America's Body Company, is part of Missouri-based Leggett & Platt, Inc., a Fortune 500 diversified manufacturer of engineered products serving several major markets.
"We are excited to welcome such a well-established, progressive, growth- oriented company like Gamber-Johnson to the CVP family," said Elliott Lyons, president of Leggett & Platt Commercial Vehicle Products Group. "This acquisition will further diversify our product offerings and will bring added value to our current and prospective customers and allow us to expand into new markets."
"The synergistic alignment between the two organizations is vast," said Jeff Greene, president of Gamber-Johnson. "Not only do we share common vertical markets, but the financial and human capital muscle Leggett & Platt affords will have direct and positive affects on Gamber-Johnson employees and customers alike."
Greene continued by explaining that the other Leggett & Platt-owned companies will bring non-traditional manufacturing capabilities and innovative materials to Gamber-Johnson's product development teams and engineering staff. The availability of composites, injection molding, and die-casting capabilities from Leggett & Platt companies will result in greater product diversification for Gamber-Johnson.
Leggett & Platt also provides Gamber-Johnson with worldwide purchasing capabilities, entry into global markets, and the financial power to further dominate the public safety, utility, telecommunications and military markets. In fact, by partnering with the other four companies that make up the Leggett & Platt Commercial Vehicle Products Group, Gamber-Johnson will provide a product and service offering that will be unparalleled in the industry.
In acquiring Gamber-Johnson, Leggett & Platt recognized the brand equity, the expertise of the management staff, and the excellence of Gamber-Johnson's employees. For that reason, all associates will be retained and the company will continue to operate from its headquarters in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
Since 1954, Gamber-Johnson has proudly served its vertical markets earning the reputation as the pioneer in the mounting systems industry, and is considered by many the premier provider of choice for mobile professionals nationwide. In 2001, Gamber-Johnson became the first mounting company to earn certification to the ISO 9001:1994 international quality standard. Furthermore, in 2003 Gamber-Johnson became certified to the latest ISO 9001:2000 standard.
In 2004, Gamber-Johnson earned the prestigious recognition as one of only three companies statewide named a "Workplace of Distinction" by Corporate Report Wisconsin. In addition, Gamber-Johnson's commitment to growth has necessitated the business to move into larger facilities twice over the last six years.
Gamber-Johnson will continue to maintain a network of resellers, installers and OEM (original equipment manufacturers) partners located throughout North America.
About Leggett & Platt
Leggett & Platt (NYSE:LEG) is a FORTUNE 500 diversified manufacturer that conceives, designs and produces a broad variety of engineered components and products that can be found in virtually every home, office, retail store, and automobile. The company serves a broad suite of customers that comprise a "Who's Who" of U.S. manufacturers and retailers. The 123-year-old firm is composed of 29 business units, 34,000 employee-partners, and more than 300 facilities located in over 20 countries. Leggett & Platt is North America's leading independent manufacturer of: a) components for residential furniture and bedding; b) retail store fixtures and point of purchase displays; c) components for office furniture; d) non- automotive aluminum die castings; e) drawn steel wire; f) automotive seat support and lumbar systems; g) carpet underlay; h) adjustable beds; and i) bedding industry machinery for wire forming, sewing and quilting. Primary raw materials include steel and aluminum. Main operations include metal stamping, forming, casting, machining, coating, welding, wire drawing, and assembly.
About Gamber-Johnson
Customers of all sizes -- state and local governments, field service organizations, and mobile professionals -- rely on Gamber-Johnson's rugged docking stations and vehicle mounts on a daily basis and associate the Gamber- Johnson name and products with quality, safety and reliability. In business since 1954, Gamber-Johnson has been the mounting solutions provider of choice for fleet managers for decades. As a result, Gamber-Johnson vehicle mounting systems are installed in thousands of fleets worldwide.
Source: Gamber-Johnson
CONTACT: Amy Zondlo of Thomas Marks & Associates, +1-715-849-4200, fax,
+1-715-849-3900, azondlo@thomasmarks.net
