General

Betts Industries reaches agreement to acquire long-time partner J-Tech

The acquisition of a long-time business partner strengthens Betts Industries and puts it in an even better position to operate in Warren for years to come.

Courtesy of the Times Observer- Warren, PA-

Betts recently acquired J-Tech Inc. of Chester Springs.

“J-Tech has long been Betts’ exclusive, factory-approved rebuilder for their tank truck valves, and the company services valves and related components industry-wide,” Betts Vice-President of Marketing and Business Development Michelle Betts said in a Wednesday release. “J-Tech is also known for its highway safety attenuator trucks, which it sells, rents and custom builds including cushion, crash, and pattern trucks.”

“It gives Betts a new avenue for growth,” Betts President Clifford Betts said. “It provides additional diversification for us.”

“We’re strengthening our position in Warren,” he said.

“Betts Industries remains committed to maintaining its headquarters in Warren, PA as it continues to diversify the corporate portfolio,” Michelle Betts said. “Combining the strengths of Betts and J-Tech will enhance the presence of both companies in our respective markets, as well as position us for growth into new and emerging markets.”

The acquisition is not expected to result in the movement of portions of either business nor of any immediate increase in employment.

“At this point there is no plan to cross-pollinate between the two companies as J-Tech and Betts serve different industries,” Michelle Betts said. “Current levels of employment will remain the same in Warren and Chester Springs. Initially it is our expectation that this acquisition will have little or no impact on Betts’ day-to-day production operations.”

“It will still run as two independent operations,” Clifford Betts said. “It’s two family businesses that have known each other for a long time coming together.”

“We partnered with Betts to take us to the next level,” J-Tech President Scott Johnson said. “We are poised for growth and Betts is coming in at just the right time in our relationship so we can meet the increasing demand for products like our attenuator trucks.”

“Additionally, Betts will be applying their administrative, operational, and accounting disciplines to what we do, which will yield additional benefit,” Johnson said.

“J-Tech is an agile, entrepreneurial company and we’re excited about the potential that’s there,” Clifford Betts said.

The company held several meetings Wednesday and early Thursday to introduce the employees to J-Tech.

Two attenuators — one new and one successfully used and irreparable — were on display outside the Betts office on Wednesday.

They are used at road and bridge job sites, according to Johnson.

The attenuator uses aluminum bars and aluminum honeycomb to dissipate the energy of a crash. In the case of a heavy vehicle at high speeds, the attenuators also push the vehicle to the side, directing it away from the workers.

There has never been a fatality “at any work site in the country that has had this deployed,” Johnson said. The equipment “will protect you from everything from a car to a tractor trailer.”

The attenuator protects both the workers and the driver of the vehicle crashing into it. “It’s got both people in mind,” he said.

Additional information can be found HERE.