Advanced manufacturing and pharmaceutical facilities change hands in our latest roundup of acquisitions and other business moves. Organizations seek to expand in order to broaden operations or close gaps in their supply chains. Here are just a few of the companies making ambitious acquisitions in the industrial sector. 

Acquisition: IBT Industrial Solutions, an industrial distributor, has acquired Charlotte, North Carolina-based Indesco. The purchase expands IBT’s southeast presence and its offerings of hydraulic, pneumatic and power-transmission components to OEM and MRO customers across industries. Industrial distributor Indesco will be integrated into IBT over the coming months while the companies work to preserve Indesco’s customer, supplier and operational strengths. 

“This acquisition strengthens IBT’s ability to support customers with technical industrial solutions and expands our presence in a strong southeastern market,” said Jeff Cloud, president and CEO of IBT, in a press release.  

Acquisition: Matrix Adhesives Group has acquired IPS Adhesives, a provider of high-performance adhesives for the building and construction, transportation, industrial and marine industries. IPS will bring its Integra, Unika and SCIGRIP Adhesives brands, as well as methyl methacrylate and color-matching technologies. The deal expands Matrix's branded portfolio and international reach while strengthening its offerings for countertop surfacing, construction, industrial fabrication, and sign and display applications.

“Becoming part of the Matrix family will allow us to preserve our strong market position in MMA (Methyl Methacrylate) solutions, while gaining the scale, resources, and global platform to support our growth plans,” said Scott McDowell, president of IPS Adhesives, in a July press release. 

Acquisition: Pivotal Manufacturing Partners and Meadow Partners have acquired 53 Ten, a 157,523-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility on 19.6 acres in Glendale, Arizona, which is leased to an affiliate of Corning Incorporated. Corning uses the facility as a precision manufacturing site serving semiconductor, aerospace and defense applications. Meanwhile, the property's electrical capacity and specialized infrastructure make it suitable for additional advanced manufacturing uses.

“As demand for domestic manufacturing increases, powered manufacturing facilities present a compelling opportunity that sits at the intersection of industrial real estate and high-power infrastructure,” said Marc Mechanic, partner at Meadow Partners, in a press release.

Acquisition: DecisionPoint Technologies, an enterprise mobility and edge technology solutions provider, has acquired 5th Wave Mobile Technology, a provider of mobile computing, barcoding, RFID and data-capture solutions serving manufacturing, aerospace and supply chain environments. The acquisition expands DecisionPoint's technical expertise and resources in mobility and data capture. It also strengthens DecisionPoint’s ability to support customers with operational efficiency, workflow automation and frontline technologies, the companies said in an August press release.

“What impressed us most about 5th Wave is the trust they have built with their customers,” said Brian Bukowski, CEO and president of DecisionPoint Technologies, in the press release. “They have earned a strong reputation through technical expertise, responsive service, and long-term customer relationships. 

Acquisition: Xcellon Biologics has signed an agreement to acquire NextCure's 40,000-square-foot GMP biologics manufacturing facility, expanding the U.S.-based CRDMO's capabilities from discovery through clinical supply for bioconjugates and complex biologics. The facility includes two 1,000-liter single-use bioreactors, a dedicated bioconjugation suite, robotics-enabled process development and analytical laboratories.

"By integrating antibody development, bioconjugation development, analytical sciences, and GMP manufacturing within a single organization, we are creating a platform that enables innovators to move seamlessly from discovery through clinical supply,” said Abhishake Chhibber, CEO of Xcellon Biologics, in an August press release. “We believe this integrated approach will help accelerate the development of breakthrough therapies while strengthening the U.S. biomanufacturing ecosystem.”