Engineered equipment leader Duravant expands optical sorting capabilities for food processing applications with the acquisition of WECO
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Duravant LLC (“Duravant”), a global engineered equipment and automation solutions provider to the food processing, packaging and material handling sectors, announced the completion of its acquisition of Woodside Electronics Corporation (“WECO”), a leading manufacturer of optical color and defect sorting equipment. The acquisition agreement was first announced on February 10, and today Duravant completed the acquisition.
WECO has been a leader in optical sorting technology for agricultural growers for over 30 years. The company designs, builds and services highly intelligent optical color and defect sorting systems and moisture monitoring systems. With headquarters in Woodland, CA, WECO serves national and multi-national customers with automation solutions that enable them to increase productivity and efficiency throughout their operations. WECO’s portfolio includes highly differentiated and proprietary vision technology and software systems that are designed to deliver high quality optics and accurate sorting performance.
Mike Kachmer, President and CEO of Duravant, said, “WECO is a great addition to Duravant. Their culture of customer-centric innovation and commitment to rapid new product development has been at the core of their success.”
Serving growers of agricultural products in their core end markets of fruits, vegetables, and nuts, WECO has expanded their offerings to deliver inspection and sorting solutions for high-value applications including wine grapes, coffee cherries, olives and hops. WECO has designed a unique value proposition for their customers with purchase and leasing models that enable operators to maximize their throughput during critical periods of their production cycle.
“WECO moves us into new markets with equipment and software solutions that are complementary to Key Technology’s offerings,” adds Mr. Kachmer. “Together, we are able to deliver an even more comprehensive set of food processing automation solutions to our customers.”
Don Douglas, President of WECO, adds, “We’re excited to officially join the Duravant family of operating companies. We share the same commitment to developing long-term relationships with our customers. Additionally, Duravant’s global presence and strong service infrastructure will stimulate our growth and enhance our ability to be a lifelong trusted advisor for our customers.”
About Duravant
Headquartered in Downers Grove, IL, Duravant is a global automation and engineered equipment company with manufacturing, sales and service facilities throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Through their portfolio of operating companies, Duravant delivers trusted end-to-end process solutions for customers and partners through engineering and integration expertise, project management and operational excellence. With worldwide sales distribution and service networks, they provide immediate and lifetime aftermarket support to all the markets they serve in the food processing, packaging and material handling sectors. Duravant’s market-leading brands are synonymous with innovation, durability and reliability. For more information, visit www.duravant.com.
About WECO
WECO (Woodside Electronics Corporation), based in Woodland, California, has been designing, manufacturing, and servicing electronic sorters for over thirty years and has thousands of units deployed worldwide. WECO serves several industries including tomatoes, walnuts, blueberries, pecans and wine grapes. WECO has multiple locations throughout the US with offices in Michigan, Oregon, New Mexico and Georgia. WECO’s footprint extends into South America with a local entity in Chile. For more information, visit www.wecotek.com.
Contacts
Eleni Yianas
Duravant
Vice President, Marketing
630.635.3914
eleni.yianas@duravant.com
www.duravant.com
