This could be $TPAC someday IMO - Now mind you, this was in 1999, the market and demand for bearings has increased a lot. GKN is a major player and buys up competition in the bearing and powder metal industry whenever they feel it's in their interest. This was a small town, small business doing $18.3 million a year (probably more when it got bought out).
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Aug. 26, 1999 /PRNewswire/ -- GKN Sinter Metals, a subsidiary of GKN plc, and the world's leader in powder metallurgy components, is to acquire Laurel Manufacturing Inc. of Du Bois, Pennsylvania. The final sale is subject to review by the appropriate governmental agencies.
Laurel Manufacturing is a leading U.S. producer of bearings and other small powdered metal parts. Its major customers are the lawn and garden, hand tool and domestic appliance industries and include Frigidare, Whirlpool, General Electric, Raytheon and Bosch. Annual sales for the company were US$16.2 million in 1996 and US$18.3 million in 1997.
In announcing the transaction Seifi Ghasemi, President and Chief Executive of GKN Sinter Metals, said "Laurel will give GKN Sinter Metals a presence in the U.S. bearings market. We are the leading manufacturers of powdered metal bearings in Europe and this acquisition will give us the global presence our customers demand."
Dennis Heindl, owner of Laurel said "GKN Sinter Metals is the ideal purchaser for this business. With its stated strategy of growth, GKN will expand Laurel and our employees will benefit from being part of the industry leader. This will in turn benefit the people of Du Bois where Laurel is a major employer."
GKN Sinter Metals, with 27 locations globally and annual sales in excess of $500 million, is the world's largest producer of powder metal parts. The business employs more than 5,000 people, produces 4,000 parts for the automotive, lawn and garden, power tool and home appliance markets. GKN Sinter Metals is a wholly owned subsidiary of GKN plc, a global industrial company with annual sales in excess of US$5.4 billion.
His letter reminds me of a couple of times I came up with an idea that helped a certain company. They did everything in their power to make my intellect theirs for free.
Big companies think they can bring the little guy in close and then trample him or her. Sadly, they often DO.
This may be that case. There's a possibility that the big company only wants the little guy's idea and is telling him what he wants to hear, but doesn't want the public to see what they are really doing. THIS happens as much as CEOs of pink companies lying. Its a dog eat dog world on all levels.